#My blog is almost a year old :o

[pierswife]

Good night and casual reminder that I fucking love my husband--

[pepprs]

mutuals who are in long term deep etc etc relationships especially mutuals who are married. did you meet your s/o online (i.e. on a dating app, and if so which ones) or did you meet in person (and if so where / how) i am just curious <- lying; asking question through gritted teeth because i am suppressing commentary because i am trying to be less mentally ill on this website / in public generally <- aware that even saying this reveals the insanity and oversharing i so desperately want to unleash upon the tess pepprs slice of the blogosphere.

[tales-from-elysivm]

★。／can i be a hero too?＼。★

ask: "I have a really cute request, Bakugou from Bnha with a little sibling reader. They weren't able to get a babysitter and Bakugou bring his little sibling to school, the reader is the complete opposite of him though"

pairing: bakugo x gn!sibling!reader

fandom: boku no hero academia

word count: 1,196

tw: none! purely some platonic, wholesome fluff. of course, a bit of cussing from bakugo but that comes with the territory

notes: thanks for being one of my first requests anon! it was really fun to get back into writing fanfic, and bnha is one of my favourite animes so writing this was a lot of fun - i just hope i did it well and you enjoy reading! i used primarily they/them pronouns for the sibling just in case ;)

! this is a repost from my other blog !

‘Can’t we just hire that old fucking neighbour?!’

Mitsuki doesn’t even bother smacking her son this time, too busy fixing up the bento box she has already begun making in the kitchen. Rice and egg and soft pretzels which [Y/N] always insisted on. The same thing everyday, which Katsuki found increasingly frustrating. Their name is painted on the lid, which sits on the sink.

It’s one of the only memories that Mitsuki repeatedly brags about to her mom friends. How her son eagerly decorated a bento box for his anticipated sibling, and how he ended up despising them when born. That’s what it looked like anyway

‘She’s too old for [Y/N], you know this.’ Mitsuki snaps, snapping on the box lid. ‘They’ll get bored if they have to sit in her living room all day.’

‘The place smells like shit too.’

‘Katsuki!’ This time she does hit him.

‘It’s just one day. All you have to do is keep them busy for a while, and they’ll find a way to occupy themselves for the rest of your classes.’

Mitsuki packs the bento box and several colouring books and pencil sets into a tiny school bag that’s been sitting open on the dining room table. Just as [Y/N] comes skipping into the room in an All-Might tracksuit that they demanded they ‘had to have’ when they saw it at a convention a while ago.

‘Aren’t you so pretty, hun?’ Mitsuki coos at - arguably - her favourite child. ‘Guess what?’

[Y/N] mumbles something around a mouthful of a soft pretzel. Where’d they even get it from?

‘You’re going to school with Katsuki today!’

Oh shit their face got a fuck ton more bright when he looked down again. Even the mention of U.A on any given day made them bounce around while babbling about how they’d love to be a hero when they got their quirk. 

‘Really?’ [Y/N] attaches themself to his leg, bouncing up and down to make sure they’ve heard Mitsuki just right.

She glares at him when [Y/N] looks away.

‘Yeah, yeah, whatever.’

No one’s expecting anything entirely different when Aizawa starts class that morning. The only thing that seems slightly out of the ordinary is Bakugo being late. Kirishima is counting through the minutes and soon enough a whole half hour passes without him being there to yell at anyone. Even Midoriya is having a particularly stress-free morning!

However, no one was expecting for him to parade into the class an hour later with a six year old sitting on his shoulders, because (as he said) “they didn’t want to use their damn legs”. 

‘Bakubro,’ Kaminari is already laughing his ass off in the back corner. ‘Ya got a hitchhiker there.’

Bakugo is almost fuming by the time he drops off the child at his desk, standing by Aizawa to demand - or ask - that he ignore the situation. Number one, [Y/N] got a day off school because of a downtown villain attack, and Mitsuki couldn’t find a babysitter after their current one caught the flu. With no other options and both of his parents going to work early that morning, he had no choice but to drag them along as long as, and quote:

‘You don’t make a damn noise, and no questions, and no playing around, you sit down and shut up.’

Did [Y/N] listen? Nope. Not really. 

Halfway through the first lesson of the morning, and little [Y/N] is sitting in the lap of half of his classmates, messing with Hagakure’s invisible hair in utter curiosity, and playing heroes with Midoriya and Kirishima. At which point they all stand on their desks and put their fists in the air yelling ‘Detroit Smash’!

Katsuki just stands and watches as [Y/N] jumps from person to person, playing with quirks and planning out their future hero name. Kaminari is the most excited to stand on his desk and create a fake hero mask out of tape and paper, and theorise all the new quirks that could be made for [Y/N].

‘[Y/N] sit down for God’s sake!’ he growls at them, and they do so as they nestle themselves into a corner of his desk. Katsuki squeezes on with her. ‘No more talking to these... damn extras during class, ok?’

Mitsuki would skin him alive if he even thought about swearing properly in the same room as her “precious angel”.

‘But why?’

‘’Cause it’s annoying.’

[Y/N]’s eyes widen a bit, but then they beam at him and nod again, picking up a pencil as if they actually are a student and begin doodling a picture while others begin homework. Aizawa doesn’t collapse into his sleeping bag this time, instead keeping an eye to ensure he isn’t sued later for the death of an unrelated child. Midoriya and Iida are the first ones to finish of course, followed by Katsuki, who has to steal his pages when [Y/N] isn’t looking, handing it across the teacher’s desk with glitter flowers and stars in the margins. 

The bell goes to signal the beginning of their hero training, and [Y/N] clutches Katsuki’s hand as they shyly approach the scary-looking racoon man to hand him a (“professionally signed”) artwork by [Y/N] Bakugo. A misshapen house with a cat and a very dead looking racoon. 

(Aizawa does frame it later, like a dad of course.)

(Katsuki does call his teacher roadkill exactly three times after that.)

For hero training All-Might stands with his hands on his hips with [Y/N] at his side to help conduct the lesson. Together they order drills and [Y/N] gets to practise their hero voice and pose. The class ends with the whole group playing games and kicking a soccer ball around so they can pretend that [Y/N] has to save it from various situations. Which they do so successfully - “a top-rate hero” in All-Might’s words.

For Katsuki, he’s glad to get home and die in bed when 8:30 rolls around. It’s been non-stop questions and poking and prodding even though he told [Y/N] not to, but they wouldn’t listen! And when they got home Mitsuki hounded him to make sure they hadn’t done anything stupid while at school. 

But 9 rolls around and [Y/N]’s socks cast shadows over the door frame, and the door handle jiggles. Katsuki waits and doesn’t move to help them with it. They come padding in with a stuffed Midnight plush, and crawls onto his pillow. 

‘Kat, can I come to school with you everyday?’

And god-fucking-dammit, they look so damn excited to go to school with their big brother that all he can do is turn off his lamp and pull the covers up and pat their hair. He can feel his chest swell with pride, because his sibling wants to come and watch him become a hero.

He can’t help but wonder what kind of hero [Y/N] will be. What would their quirk be? 

Oh, Mitsuki would kick his ass if he even thought about surpassing his own sibling.

He smirks at the thought. His sibling would be the best hero at U.A, not like those fucking extras. 

‘Yeah, whatever.’

i really enjoyed writing this!

let me know if you want to request anything, and i'll try my best to get to them as quickly as possible.

[monimccoythings]

Alastor x Daughter!Reader III (Platonic)

Yeah, this is going to take place after the end of season 1, just after Sir Pentious has ascended and the hotel has been rebuilt into a bigger better version. I just don't know how to fit Y/N in season 1.

Reminder: Alastor is in Hell for a reason.

TW: This contains a very delicate matter, like PTSD and panic attacks, even though I wanted to keep it brief because I'm not very well versed in these kind of subjects and wanted to be careful and respectful with it, I'm not entirely satisfied with how I wrote it, I researched and looked into my past experiences, but still don't think I truly adapted it as best as I would have liked. Also several mentions of cannibalism. Brief mentions of controlling behavior.

This isn't proof read so sorry for any grammar and/or vocabulary mistakes.

Part I ｜Part II｜Part III (You are here!)

tags: @anonymousewrites, @nonetheartist, @littledolly2345, @sunnyx07, @ouroborostheunholy, @mo-0-o, @sydneyyyya @lbcreations-blog

Soft jazz music enveloped the room, accompained by a strong smell of coffee and magnolias, someone was humming quietly to the music. Somehow, it reminded you of home.

You blinked groggily, trying to get the sleep away from your eyes, and leaned on your elbow. Why was the ground so soft and cushioned?

Yor eyes shot wide open when you remebered the events that led you there. The blood, the laughter, the eyes, the smile, the radio static... Your heart started beating wildly inside your ribcage, and you suddenly found yourself gasping for air. You clutched your old dress, hoping that would alleviate the growing pressure in your chest in some way.

"Well, look who's finally awake!" Alastor left the newspaper on the table and turned towards you, if his grin was supposed to be comforting it was not working. Just the fact that he was acting so casual, as if nothing had happened in the last ninety years made everything a million times worse.

"You are quite the hide and seek champion, ma petite faon. It took several years for my shadows to casually find you and then it took even longer for me to believe you actually had been sent here, ha ha!" His neck bended in an unnatural way as he laughed.

Crap. Did he always know where you were? Was this just a game of cat and mouse for him?

As if he had read your mind, his eyes adopted a more relaxed expression that did nothing to soothe your nerves. "Well, for the last ten years you gave me quite the chase, cher. Always on the move, never stopping, from one part of the ring to the other. And then there's that seven year gap." He muttered to himself that last part.

You still felt on the verge of a panic attack. Your body couldn't and wouldn't stop shaking, and felt like reality was blurring around you. Everything was happening too fast, it brought you back to that night decades ago when you found that your beloved father had actually been a serial killer. It almost felt like it was mere minutes ago.

Alastor knew of your discomfort, your fear. He could see it as clear as a day, he could almost taste it. He had always enjoyed tasting the fear on his victims, but yours only left an aftertaste of bitterness in his mouth. It was rotten, putrid and nauseating. Maybe because it was the only fear he should never had a taste of. Watching you like this also brought him back to the night he lost you.

As he held your unmoving body in his arms, for a couple of seconds his brain stopped functioning, unable to accept what had just happened. The pain he felt was just like someone had ripped his chest open and pulled out his still beating heart, only to crush it, leaving an empty and cold hole in its place.

He had taken you to your room and laid you in the bed, tucking you in. You looked so peaceful, if your face and clothes weren't stained with blood he would have believed you were sleeping. But you would never wake up again.

The next couple of days passed in a blur, tracking down the man who had dared to do this to you and then run away, and giving him his fair punishment. And as he dragged his mutilated body through the forest... Well... the rest is history.

"Anyways! All's well that ends well! Now I found you, and you won't need to worry anymore!" His chirpy radio filtered voice portrayed some genuine happiness that didn't reach you. The bond and trust that used to tie you two together, had been damaged beyond repair. And Alastor knew. That didn't mean he was going to give up, though.

Before he had the chance to make things even more awkward between you two, the door bursted open, revealing several people behind it.

"Oh, you're awake, that's so great! We were all sooo worried since Al suddenly brought you here, and you seemed passed out, we didn't know if you were alive or-" The blonde haired demon kept rambling, but you barely listened to her, way too much in shock. Behind her, there was a bunch of demons: a winged cat who would be rather doing anything else than be there, a tiny cyclops with a psychotic and perky smile; a spider demon who, if anything, looked confused; a taller cyclops demon girl who found the dirt in her nails to be way more interesting than you, and some kind of moth demon girl? You wondered if they all were going to participate in your slaughter or were just going to watch.

"-aaaand who were you again?" The blonde demon asked with an awkward smile.

"I'm very glad you're asking! Because this is no other than my beloved little girl!" Alastor opened his arms widely in a dramatic form of presentation as the sound effect of a studio crowd cheering mixed with his voice.

"Wha- hold the fuck up? Your daughter??? Didn't you sing to Luci-?"

One glare full of murderous intention and loud static was enough for the spider demon to shut up.

"Now, now, how about we let the newest addition to our merry little band have a well deserved rest." Your dad not so gently pushed the uninvited guests back towards the door.

"Addition? Is she our new guest?" The moth-like demon girl asked.

Alastor's face darkened and loud static filled the room. "A҉b҉s҉o҉l҉u҉t҉e҉l҉y҉ ҉n҉o҉t҉.҉". He swapped back to his more charming persona. "She'll be joining our facility as an assistant!" His tone admitted no further questioning, and, quite reluctantly, the staff and guests left the room.

So that's the story about how you ended working in the Hazbin Hotel.

Your work was mainly small chores or helping others. Nifty needed help to clean the rooms? You were there. Someone needed you to take cover at the reception? On it. Whatever tiny task someone needed help with, you had to do it.

You were not allowed to leave the hotel. Alastor made sure of that. Wherever you went, he made sure some of his shadows followed if he was not around, just to keep you controlled; although he'd rather call it, 'lovingly checking on his little baby'. It really was not needed, even if you didn't trust nobody there and your guard was still up, where else would you go? It was literal hell outside.

Years of hiding and living in constant fear of death or something worse had left you extremely mistrustful and fearful of people. There were times were you believed this was all a ruse to lure you into a false sense of security and then hit you were it hurt most.

It's not like you didn't believe in Charlie's dream, it was just you couldn't believe it could be possible, your father had very sincerely stated that he was just sponsoring it because he loved watching doomed souls struggle to achieve something meaningful and then fail spectacularly. Of course he did.

So, at least you had a roof over your head, enough food to eat, and a no-killing rule inside the hotel. Things could be worse.

Yet, there was still something inside you, something that you so desperately tried to let go but were unable to, as it had rooted itself deeply inside your mind and heart.

It started with small things, maybe a loud sound, maybe a bit of blood, it didn't matter because you could already feel yourself breathing heavily and sweating. It was like the entire world vanished around you. You couldn't breath, you couldn't think, your mind was on edge and your heart felt like it was going to burst out of your chest. You were completely paralized with fear, your hands shaking furiously, making you drop whatever you were holding.

These episodes started becoming more and more frequent, the more you tried to fight against them, the stronger they became. Whenever Charlie, Vaggie or any guest tried to ask you about them you always tried to brush them off, not wanting them to see it as a weak spot to exploit.

After several episodes and you refusing to open yourself, Alastor had enough of watching you suffer and decided to take matters into his own hands. So, he took you to Rosie.

If you expected something out of a place called 'Cannibal Town' it certainly wasn't that. It looked so... normal, like any other town you would have found back in your time. Well, if you ignored the people eating an entire corspe on the street. Your father gently moved your face to face front, because apparently it was rude to stare.

Oh Rosie immediately adored you. 100% godmother material. That southern belle couldn't wait to pamper you and dress you up in all kinds of fancy clothes.

Talking to Rosie was surprisingly, easy, if you looked over her cannibalistic tendencies. She kindly offered you some fresh fingers, but quickly backed up when she saw you turning green, jokingly saying "Ah, teenagers and their diets."

Sessions with Rosie always left you crying and drained but in a positive way, you felt like a huge load had been lifted off your shoulders. It may be a long road ahead but it was a great start.

Talking to Vaggie also helped. Turns out being a former exterminator had left not only physical but psychological scars on her. The first months after she had been left to die in hell had also been very struggling for her. She helped you with breathing exercises, held your hands when they started shaking, and even was willing to teach you some self defence. Which your dad opposed to.

Charlie was... Charlie, always positive and upbribing but also respecting your boundaries, you were almost starting to belive she was being genuine.

There was another member of the staff who had not been present when you were first brought there and you had yet to meet. The King of Hell himself, Lucifer. Just knowing he could be there send shivers down your spine, wondering what kind of diabolical entity could he be. When you first saw that 4' overly excited manchild, at first you thought it was a joke.

Lucifer took a liking to you pretty easily, much to the annoyance of Alastor. He was curious about how someone as innocent and young as you could have ended in a place like that and vowed to protect you if someone ever gave you trouble. Your dad is seething. "Here, take this." And he just gives you a toy duck who backflips and makes the cutest rubber ducky noise. You loved it. Your dad is about to break the no-killing rule.

Alastor tried to win back your trust and love, even if he knew it was going to be a long and arduous task. He didn't care. He just got you back he was never letting you go.

He may not believe entirely in Charlie's dream, but he knew that if it was possible the one who had more chances to go straight to Heaven would be you. And he was not having that.

Alastor briefly considered making a deal to own your soul, just to ensure your safety and his control.

Up to this day he still doesn't know how you ended down there, and can't wait for the day when you will trust him enough to tell him.

He will respect your boundaries begrudgingly, he is your dad, he knows best. Will play nice and let you take your time with things. He will quietly show support for your emotional progress and make light physical contact, just enough to be supportive and not freak you out.

He cooks for you, and only you. The old homemade grandma's recipes he used to make back in your living times. At first, you didn't trust it, thinking he could have poisoned it. But the second you tasted his Jambalaya you felt like crying. Not only because after ninety years barely eating you were famished, but because for a couple of seconds, something there in the taste and smell had brought you back to simpler times. (like the Ratatouille guy)

Alastor truly desires to hear you call him 'Dad' again, you had yet to do so. Yes, you recognise him as your father, but after everything it just pains you to address him as such. It's like your dad and Alastor were two separate people. The loving father vs the serial killer, the guardian vs the Radio Demon.

He really loves you very much and it's been hard on him to keep that much distance from his little fawn. So he takes out his frustration on others, don't turn the radio on when he tells you not to.

And with time, his efforts were rewarded. Somewhat. You seemed to have gotten a bit more comfortably around him, at least you didn't flinch or recoil anytime he approached you. But you couldn't forget, you couldn't overlook the fact that he was a murderer and a cannibal and still doubted if anything you two had lived together had been truly genuine.

Honestly, it offended him that you would even think that way. Wasn't he there for you, always? Didn't he protect you from the darkness of the outside world during your living times? Wasn't he, as a father, devoted enough to his fawn?

But of course, actions spoke louder than words, and his actions had left too many cracks in your trust. But he will keep trying to win you back. Alastor's very patient demon, he has all the time in the world.

Y̸̗͉̺̱͂̕o̸̧̯̞̟̰̪̗̱̳̱̎̈̿̄̄͛̅͝͝û̴̦͔̹͈̣̥̾͛͑͗͋̅̏̂̚ͅ ̷̭͋̈͛̽͒̅̀̈́́̚ă̷̢̢̖̦͕̞͚͔̻̳̅̇̃͌̿͐̄̃̕r̵̨̢̺̦͇͚̙̈́̅̽́̊͠ę̶̺̖͋̐͐͌͘͠͝ ̶̖̲͎̜̮͚͉̰̒n̵̢͕̝͖̗̜̣̾̾̇̾̅̽͊͘ǫ̴̼̺̠̱̦̘̒̈̎̿̇́̔̉t̴͙͇̼̱̻̦̦͔̖͙̍͌ ̸̩̂́̎͒͘g̶͔͚̰̺͔͉͓͍͔̈́̽̈́͋͘͜o̵̹͔̫͚̼͚͒͑į̷̧̫͔̹͉̰̘̮̍͋͒̈n̸̢͕̙̙̞͔̓͐̓ͅg̵͖͇̜͚̗͙̤̫̱̝̉̂́̚ ̴̪̂͑̓̊͛a̷̖̞͊̄̈́͑͋̈́̄͘n̶̻̟̙̝̪̩͂̋͗ẏ̸̨̛̱̱͇̱͖̤͕̥͛́̍̂͛̕͠w̸̛̖͎̫̑h̵͔̝̣̀ẹ̵̝͍̳̟͚̪̍̒͋̒̀̊̏r̷̨͉͉̒̑̉̒̄̎̓̎͜͝͠ȅ̸̩͇̳.̵̠̪̖̍͂͠.

[luimagines]

Congarts on the two year old blog!

If it's fine, can I request a FD sky in the royal au; just getting to know reader, flustering them at every turn and being a genuine menace to them

-🍄

YEEEEEEEEEESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

Masterlist

Content under the cut!

You didn't know what to do with the man that sat across from you.

If you could even call him a man.

His hair was stark white, perfectly accented by the bright red feathers in his hair as it draped over his shoulders. He had a pearlescent cape with a design of the country's emblem on the back. His clothes were about as casual as you could get when speaking to the King.

He's wearing black pants at least but his shirt holds the regality of the royal family. It's also white with stars and moons embroidered in golds around the edges with swirls that connect from one side of the tapestry to the next. It looks almost like a story was woven directly into the fabric. You're tempted to read it, but you don't want to be seen openly ogling the King in his own house.

His eyes were just as white as his hair with no sign of which direction he would be looking in, but it was clear to every hair that stood up at the back of your neck that he was very much watching you. More so than you were watching him.

A shaky hand reaches for the tea cup he's order to be served to you. You're not sure why you're here or what he wants with you, but he seems relaxed at least.

But you don't know what that means for you, so you're still a nervous wreck.

"I hear that your bakery is the best in my kingdom." He says after a beat once you set your tea cup back on the little saucer. You try to focus on that instead of the booming voice that threatened to pour into your very veins.

The cup has a beautiful floral pattern. It looks like porcelain but you could be wrong. The beautiful forget-me-not pattern echoes on the saucer below. the swirling flowers are beautifully painted.

But you feel dizzy and nauseous in an instant.

You put the cup away.

"Thank you... Your Majesty." You finally answer him. "I wouldn't personally say it's the best. but business has been good and your people have treated me nicely."

"My people?" There's an up tilt to his words and you have the slightest suspicion that there's humor in his words, but you struggle to read him.

"Yes." You answer calmly. "Your people."

"Are you not one of my people?" He picks up his own tea cup and takes a sip. You feel like running away.

"I'm not originally from here." You bite your lip and grip the seat beneath you. Every fiber in your being is telling you to run for it. But you're rooted to the spot.

The king nods and tilts his head as if in thought. "I suppose your accent would check out in that regard."

He says nothing as he takes another sip of his tea. Can't you just go home already?

"I'm having a party." He says at last. "I was hoping you'd be willing to cater it."

You feel your heart stop as relief threatens to melt you into a puddle. It's just business. You can do business. "O-oh... is that all?"

He nods once more. "I'd like a list of your menu and potential skills outside of your typical armory. I'm sure it goes without saying that you should bring the best of your accomplishments."

You can feel your nerves stealing in you as he speaks. You'll show him. These will be the best of the best. "Of course. I've never disappointed a costumer. I don't plan on starting now."

This time he actually smiles. "Perfect. May I ask for the estimate? I plan on giving a hefty down payment first-"

"No. For free." You cross your arms, ignoring the tea.

He stills, clearly not expecting that. His eyes don't obviously dart to you but the energy changes. The hair on the back of your neck stand up once more but you're not willing to budge on this.

"...I don't think so." He says calmly. "I pay for the full deal. I don't accept handouts."

"It's not handouts." You try to not glare at him. "It's exposure. The business that would result from this would payback tenfold the amount it would take to cater your party."

He frowns and stares at you as if you've said something dumb. "...I'm paying."

"No, you're not." You cross a leg to emphasize the point.

The King tilts his head. "Yes. I am. End of discussion."

"No you're not." You feel it in yourself to be indignant.

"Yes." He's smiling but you're not sure what to think about it. "I will pay the full price one way or another. I've enjoyed our chat but I'm afraid I've got other matters to attend to."

"That's a shame." You shrug. "Because this conversation isn't over until you let me do this for free."

The King of the land stops as he gets to his feet and kisses your cheek. "Then I suppose I'll simply have to invite you again, my dear. I'll see you soon."

You freeze and stay rooted to the spot once more as he leaves the room.

Your tea has gone cold by the time you're escorted out of the castle. This wasn't exactly what you had in mind- nor are you confident in yourself to keep surviving interactions with this powerful man.

Why couldn't he just have dropped it?

[somewhere-at-the-burrow]

hii!!! i hope your move into your college dorms went well ☺️

im so happy i found your blog, its amazing! i am an aspiring shifter, i’m shifting to a hogwarts-related DR with the main desire to fall in love with my s/o (i love love haha) but also to just be at hogwarts, have fun, have adventures, three work at the ministry, etc - so i would like to permashift!

i adore your aesthetic and everythingg, im learning so much and just reading your posts make me super happy! you inspired me to create a blog too. hopefully i’ll have experiences that i can share soon

and we’re almost the same myers-briggs type - i am an infj 🩵

i have a few questions, i hope they’re not too much ~ 

do you have a waiting room, and if not, if you were to have one, what do you think it would look like

2. did you script others’ names for random  students at Hogwarts (like did you script that italian guy coming to Hogwarts, or did you just script that your DR plays out with interesting scenarios and drama scenarios and that is how it played out?) i feel like i remember you said you didn’t script stuff like that, i’m still reading through all of your posts so i’m so sorry if you already mentioned this!

3. did you age up to 15 years old for fourth year? did you keep the same 7 year format for hogwarts?

4. do you have another dr that follows the main harry potter x voldemort plot?

5. is there a muggle washing machine equivalent in the wizarding world? is there a laundry room where you bring all your dirty clothes in to be washed? who washes them, the house elves, or is there a way for students to do it on their own and they pick it up when it’s clean and dry? does that mean your clothes have to be labeled with your name? i feel like i remember in the sorcerer’s stone that they got crabbe and goyle’s uniforms with their names on it from the laundry or something!  

6. do students wear muggle clothing after school or on the weekends? the prisoner of azkaban was such an aesthetic because of the jeans and 90’s style clothing everyone wore after school but i would think everyone mostly wore their uniforms, even after classes are done for the day, like in the books, but i’m not sure!

7. can you only go to hogsmeade on the weekends? like if you need a quill or book for school and it’s not a hogsmeade weekend yet, would you have to get an order form and send it by owl to a shop and send over the galleons by mail and your order is delivered to you by magical mail? 

8. so sorry if this is a little tmi, no need to answer if it’s uncomfortable! but as a girl, i’ve always wondered how do girls deal with their cycle while at hogwarts? is there a magical cloth pad that absorbs everything without needing to change it?

9. did you script in that there would be magazines like Seeker Weekly that you and Ginny read? i’m so excited to be a Quibbler magazine subscriber 

10. did you have to study the layout and appearance of hogwarts, common rooms, the burrow, hogsmeade, diagon alley, knockturn alley, the hogwarts express, etc. before you shifted? a big part of my problem is that i feel like i need to script in everythinggg detail by detail because i suppose i don’t believe that everything will just play out (im a perfectionist and my anxiety is not making it easy 😭)

11. does news from the muggle world get into the wizarding world, or does it feel like the two worlds are truly separate/does it feel like you’re in a lovely bubble in the wizarding world? 

i’m so sorry for all the questions!!

thank you!!! 🥹 🩵🩵🩵

you're so sweet! also, thank you so much angel!! i'm so glad my blog can be of help to you... and your blog is looking awesome already .. i'll def be sticking around to see how it goes <3

𝖆𝖓𝖘𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖖𝖚𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘 !

{ about my Hogwarts reality }

do you have a waiting room, and if not, if you were to have one, what do you think it would look like

waaaay back in the beginning of my shifting journey, I envisioned having a waiting room that was similar to Newt Scamander's case! I created many layout sketches for it and thought about it all the time, but I've never actually shifted there yet. I also thought about having this magic suitcase include a ladder that leads to a wizarding world reality, but I didn't have one at the time so it just didn't work out. I think the idea is very fun, though! just imagine having the coziest little workshop with bowtruckles and vivarium environments to visit... it sounds so relaxing. in my version, I also envisioned a magical greenhouse with colorful tiles, a kitchen to bake whatever I want, and pathways that lead all over the workshop / vivariums!

2. did you script others’ names for random  students at Hogwarts (like did you script that italian guy coming to Hogwarts, or did you just script that your DR plays out with interesting scenarios and drama scenarios and that is how it played out?)

I personally didn't script anything about how school would work in terms of people there / drama. that is just how it turned out, I guess! I think if you really wanted to, you could script the possibility for drama or different scenarios, but I wanted to see how Hogwarts social circles would play out if I didn't really script anything! and BOY IS IT CRAZY. sometimes I get so caught up in the daily events in my personal schedule, I forget that there is drama happening 24/7 with people that don't exist ANYWHERE in canon. something that was also interesting is the fact that most of my best friends do not exist in canon. I was fully expecting to only be friends with the "main characters", but shifting is real life and you can really have no idea how things like that will play out!

3. did you age up to 15 years old for fourth year? did you keep the same 7 year format for hogwarts?

the 7 year format is the same at my Hogwarts, except we start our first year when we are 15 years old! so, I guess you could say it is kind of like a university / Hogwarts mix? I knew that I wanted to shift into the chamber of secrets timeline, and because I am in the same year as George and Fred, I did the math for how I could interpret my current age into entering my fourth year at Hogwarts. so everyone is aged up!

4. do you have another dr that follows the main harry potter x voldemort plot?

I thought about it once, but when I actually started shifting to my weasley reality, I realized that I didn't want to go through the stress of crazy (and most times traumatic) plot lines. although the harry potter canon events can be pretty interesting sometimes, actually being there and starting my class schedule gave me a bit of an existential crisis and I don't want to deal with that AND umbridge (for example!)

5. is there a muggle washing machine equivalent in the wizarding world? is there a laundry room where you bring all your dirty clothes in to be washed? who washes them, the house elves, or is there a way for students to do it on their own and they pick it up when it’s clean and dry? does that mean your clothes have to be labeled with your name?

this is such a cool question, and I was definitely very curious about this as well before I shifted! at my Hogwarts, there are multiple different ways you can get your laundry done (depending on how fast you need it cleaned etc). the most common option is through the dorm laundry basket, which is usually in the bathroom and is magically collected every evening. there is a laundry room near the Kitchens, and there are staff (wizards and house elves) that use cleaning spells to wash through the laundry baskets they collect! they then fold the clothes and the hamper re-appears in our dorms usually by the next evening. there is also a second option for students who may only have one uniform to cycle through, and that is usually through walking down to the laundry room (typically during the free hours before dinner) and washing it yourself. because the laundry staff have so many clothes to get through, this is the fastest because laundry and drying spells do not take hardly any time in the wizarding world and sometimes working at your own pace is best. IT IS AMAZING!! and yes! you can also pick up your clothes from the wash room if you so choose, but it is so much easier to just use the dorm laundry basket IT MAKES ME SO LAZY FR

6. do students wear muggle clothing after school or on the weekends? the prisoner of azkaban was such an aesthetic because of the jeans and 90’s style clothing everyone wore after school but i would think everyone mostly wore their uniforms, even after classes are done for the day, like in the books, but i’m not sure!

Hogwarts uniforms are only necessary during official school hours, so from 8/9am -- 4:30pm. also, fridays depend on the student's schedule, because sometimes professors will schedule classes on friday but they are usually a study day! the general rule is to put on your uniform if you are visiting a study hall (library, great hall resource hour, selkie commons, etc), and you can take off your uniform and change into regular clothes after school is done or on the weekends. it is pretty common to see an array of students at dinner both wearing their uniforms AND wearing everyday clothes. on the weekends, you will rarely ever see a uniform unless there is a school sanctioned trip or a class that may be meeting for an exam or something! ALSO YES THE 90s STYLE CLOTHING IS AMAZING

7. can you only go to hogsmeade on the weekends? like if you need a quill or book for school and it’s not a hogsmeade weekend yet, would you have to get an order form and send it by owl to a shop and send over the galleons by mail and your order is delivered to you by magical mail? 

something I like about my Hogwarts reality is how Hogsmeade can be visited every day if you would like to go! sometimes it can be very impractical, though, because school/clubs can get out pretty late and it is another 20-30 minute walk to the village, but many older students tend to socialize or get something to eat later in the evening. it all depends! usually that type of stuff is reserved for the weekends, though. school is very busy, but usually everyone plans their work so they can spend one day during the weekend at Hogsmeade!

8. so sorry if this is a little tmi, no need to answer if it’s uncomfortable! but as a girl, i’ve always wondered how do girls deal with their cycle while at hogwarts? is there a magical cloth pad that absorbs everything without needing to change it?

no worries! there are so so many products that are advertised in the wizarding world, but most people just stick to muggle methods because plain and simple.. the cycle sucks and we do what we've gotta do! the dorm supply closet is always supplied with necessary things, and there are also potions that can be given to you in the Hospital Wing for cramps and stomach aches.

9. did you script in that there would be magazines like Seeker Weekly that you and Ginny read? i’m so excited to be a Quibbler magazine subscriber 

I've always wanted to get my hands on a Seeker Weekly magazine, especially when I saw them for the first time in goblet of fire. so, I guess it was just my desires to read crazy wizarding magazines that solidified them in my weasley reality!! there are truly so many different forms of media to consume--- from books to radio channels to magazines. i'd definitely keep that in mind to explore when you shift!

10. did you have to study the layout and appearance of hogwarts, common rooms, the burrow, hogsmeade, diagon alley, knockturn alley, the hogwarts express, etc. before you shifted? a big part of my problem is that i feel like i need to script in everythinggg detail by detail because i suppose i don’t believe that everything will just play out

I definitely have an advantage because I was that kid in high school who was making maps of Hogwarts and stuff like that! but I definitely didn't plan out the entire school and know my whole way around before I shifted. when I try and shift (especially to a new place), I sometimes create a small pinterest board and then I focus on the place I am going to wake up. I have found that that helps me not get so overwhelmed about everything! I didn't know my way around the burrow AT ALL before shifting this summer, but I watched a small video on it and tried to shift imagining what my bedroom would look like. the rest just came with memory when I shifted! you absolutely do not need to script every single detail with your DR.. I personally think that takes out the wonder of shifting and the fact that it is real life to be explored :)

[cowboyjen68]

Hi Jen, sorry for dumping a big rant in your askbox but your blog has helped me figure out my identity and I don’t have anyone to talk to about this in real life lol. Feel free to delete if this is too weird.

So I’m a 17 y/o butch, and I have been masculine since I was a little kid. I always felt lucky to have a family that was generally okay with my gender nonconformity. They treated it like a cute quirk of mine, and I never felt like I was being judged or that I should change the way I am around them. My dad got a kick out of it. One summer he let me help him build the deck in our backyard. He always took me to baseball games, he dressed me up in his old clothes, basically treated me like I was his son and I loved it.

I feel like as I get older, my masculinity becomes less acceptable. I went to visit my paternal grandmother for the holidays, hadn’t seen her in a few years, and the first thing she said to me was “I thought you would’ve grown out of all that by now” (in reference to my haircut and outfit, I think.) I just don’t know how to react to the way my extended family treats me now. They used to be totally fine with it, but I spent my entire Christmas feeling like I was being judged for every little thing.

Like, what’s changed? Why is it cute and funny when a little girl wears boy’s clothes and wrestles with her cousins, but disgusting when I grow up and settle into my masculinity?

It’s like I’ve crossed the invisible line between being a tomboy and being a dyke, and now no one wants to entertain it anymore.

Again, sorry for the rant haha, I just feel like I’m going crazy because I tried to talk to my sister about it and she said she didn’t notice them acting any different, but I swear my aunt spent half of our Christmas dinner telling me how pretty I would be if I just wore a bit of makeup lmaoo. I’m just wondering if anyone else has experienced this, because I’m feeling pretty lost right now. Thanks, and happy holidays!

It is not weird at all. I hear that young lesbians, particularly butches, do not have older role models to bounce ideas off of or vent or get any perspective on certain experiences. Moms and Dads and straight sisters and cousins, no matter how well meaning, will just not always "get" what is happening. They say things like "we love you no matter what" and "we don't care if you are a lesbian" and they mean it, mostly. But they often don't see the subtle clues (or blatant ones)they toss around that indicates how uncomfortable they are with you being so visible, but just existing as you naturally are.

AND OH MY GOSH yes I have experienced exactly what you are talking about with the deepening judgement as you move from a cute little Tomboy to an adult butch women. It is almost like they hope to "catch it early" when we are in our teens and redirect us away from the "danger" of being a visible lesbian. And a woman who does not, in very overt ways, conform to their idea of how a woman should be and act.

My dad was relatively consistent in treating me pretty much like he would a son and, to his credit, he did so with my straight sister. We were allowed to do just about anything my older brothers did. In part because my sister was pretty strong willed but also a lot like him. I was less strong willed but she had mowed the path.

Mom was the one who was forever concerned about my looks and behavior, both out of worry I would not fit in, and because she had a certain expectation of how her daughter should grow up. Both normal Mom reactions. She understood bullies and knew that sticking out could be difficult. Her solution was not to strengthen my resilience but to attempt to "tone me down". Her efforts increased as I made the jump from kid to teen and into my late teens. She would discourage me from cutting my hair, becoming almost angry when I brought it up. She would tell me how lovely I was in dresses and skirts and say thing like " a little make up would be nice". It got really old. It lead to us not always getting along even though I loved and respected my mom. She was a great mom. But this one thing made us both crazy. She could not cool it and I could not change who I was.

Friends at school saw hints of my liking girls. I stopped wearing cowboy boots and my favorite horse buckle and it their place went with K Mart Tennis shoes and a generic belt that came with my pants, again, from Kmart. I put away the cowboy fringed shirts and flannel and went with simple jeans and sweatshirts, the acceptable attire for boys and girls in my rural high school. I kept my hair long to disguise my "looking like a boy" traits.

I (barf) agreed to date a boy and spent the better part of that time making excuses to not kiss him or spent time with him. I was starting to listen to mom and do my best to hide ME from the world. Anything (with in reason) to throw the world off the scent, the scent of me being a lesbian. Being butch made that one more step difficult.

It is hard to hide the space we take up naturally.

It might seem hard to see it now by your family is slightly well intentioned, knowing that being "seen" easily as a lesbian can be dangerous. But also, they are uncomfortable with your energy and physical presence because it does not coincide with their ideas of what a woman acts, feels and moves like. This is a THEM problem and I can give you words of comfort based on experience.

The more you begin to be you, and dress in what gives you comfort the more your confidence will grow and be evident. People who are emboldened to try and change you for their own comfort tend to back way off when there is no opening for their opinions. They just sort of realize they are wasting time. AND for those that don't, there are always a few, you don't have to give them any air or acknowledgement. You get to let them waste time and energy while you look great in whatever you wish to wear and however you wish to cut your hair. And in a wonderful turn around, you don't have to spend any effort just being you or trying to defend or correct them.

You are fast approaching adulthood and with that will come even more freedom and independence. Don't rush it but also, work towards that.

[candyheartedchy]

Been thinking of an old self ship of mine that I was once very well known for and been on the fence about bringing the character back…

Okay so some of you who been following be for a LONG while will remember an old self ship of mine with a certain bunny. Now I never gave a full explanation on why I deleted all my old art and posts of that self ship or ignored any mentioned of the character in asks since then. One I deeply apologize for that. To be honest I was ashamed. At the time when I was self shipping with the character, I came across someone was vague posting about my blog and my ship with him and it made me feel embarrassed, so I eventually got ride of anything that had to do with that character on my blog and even avoided watching anything with him in it to protect my feelings for a few years. I sadly almost went through this same thing with Scratch recently, where I was considering dropping him as well out of frustration. Hell I still get nervous when I post stuff about my ship with Scratch right now, and it’s probably why I keep jumping to so many different f/os at the moment to cope. But I’m still pushing through. I wished I did the same for the other character, but I wasn’t as brave back then. I really do miss my last main f/o and been thinking of bringing him back, but I might change my backstory/sona for that ship, idk yet. So again, I’m still on the fence about all of this and been trying to let go of those last few years of shame. So I guess this is my way of explaining what happened the best I can. Hope this makes sense and clears up some things.

[doing-swell]

hello, my name's swellie 💖✨🌈 aka: new pinned post! new pinned post! read all abt it!

welcome to my blog! I started on here almost exactly a year ago, and since then I've learned not only so much about my pregnancy kink, but also about myself. being here has been formative for my kink exploration journey, and it's helped me deconstruct years of catholic school girl trauma (s/o to catholic guilt!).

This is a pregnancy and birth fetish vlog. This is an 18+ only environment. DO NOT INTERACT IF 18 OR YOUNGER. I am a 27 year old white cis woman with brown hair. I identify as a neurodivergent bisexual woman on the ace-spectrum. I live in the US - New England specifically!

I've had a pregnancy kink since I was a kid. I even got in trouble for google image searching "pregnat" on my childhood computer lol (it was 2006 folks, what else was i supposed to do?) I created this blog to share the beautiful side of this kink. I hope you enjoy! <3

Keep reading below!

As a queer person I will absolutely not condone any form of homophobia, transphobia, racism, misogyny, etc etc. I am an open and tolerant person, and please do not try to take advantage of me because of this. I mostly only follow back people whose content I enjoy seeing.

When I interact with kink content here, I mostly imagine myself as the pregnant carrier. I mostly get off to picturing myself in some sort of pain (i.e. labor) or I like to picture myself with a pregnant person.

Things I really enjoy:

Wearing a fake pregnant belly

Pregnant bellies (specifically, large pregnant bellies, smaller bellies, those with stretch marks, red bellies, moving bellies)

Breeding <3

Impregnation <3

Poking pregnant bellies, rubbing them etc

Stirrups, medical torture stuff, etc (FANTASY ONLY. I CANNOT REPEAT THAT ENOUGH. DO NOT INTERACT WITH ME IF YOU FEEL OTHERWISE)

Birth, birth denial, labor and contractions

Pregnant lesbians (because duh,,, I’m fucking gay)

Historical pregnancies or pregnancies set in the past

Clothes not being able to fit/spilling out of old clothes

Giant swollen boobs (especially with veins 🙈)

Giant bellies in laps <3

Waddling and being out of breathe, struggling to sit up, contractions, unable to get up from sitting, etc

Curves🤤🤤

I’m not into:

Anime/ drawings

Monster fucking, slime, pups/litter talk, etc

Mpreg

Beastiality, aliens, monsters, anything sci fi

Eggs or pushing out objects

Feederism, feedies, or stuffing (in very very specific circumstances I tolerate this)

Anything to do with fatphobia or shaming folks for their size/weight

Swollen feet

It gets weird when it gets misogonistic in a "I would actually vote to overturn roe v wade if I had the chance" kind of thing -- if it's fantasy/pure imagination, I'm all ears. But when I think you would actually hate crime me IRL..... that's when I [not-so] politely decline ❤️🫶🏻

Other disclaimers:

I am in a relationship right now and she knows about this blog and my kink. She is so supportive and I love her very much. We are very open to exploring ourselves sexually, but never, and I mean never, would I risk my relationship because of something on here. If you cross a line, I will immediately tell you. Please do not assume I want to fuck you or be in a relationship with you in real life, this is purely for kink purposes. I think of you as my friends! If I talk to you, or respond to your DM's or like your content occasionally, that means I'm grateful to have you in my life and you make my life better by being in it. Xoxo, thank you for understanding!

Please send me asks, tell me about your fantasies, ask me questions about my fetish. I want to learn more about you as well! I’m an open book when it comes to most things, I promise I won’t judge you 🙈

I don’t want to tell you my real name, where I live, or anything about me in real life. You won’t ever see my face. It’s what I’m comfortable with, full stop. If you do get my name or anything from me, it’s for you only. Do not share that without my consent. For purposes of this blog, you can call me Swellie 🤪

I love interacting with mutuals through tags and captions 💋 it’s my way of flirting and will swoon if you do the same

Happy swelling, babies 🫡

[the-flys-buzz]

princess and the frog is good!!!!!! or just older animated movies in general? fox and the hound, the aristocats, the land before time...... i used to love dinosaurs.......

dad. i can no longer sleep peacefully. do we have a heating pad. a. and we might have to go to the store.

woe. your child is stuck as a human now. erm.

//@the-flys-buzz (HE SUFFERS WITH ME.)

“.,,?? A. Are you alright.?? i have heating pad I can run and get it if you’d like. Though, you’d have to stay with Jake.”

[mangoshorthand]

Five Hargreeves request info + rules

Fic requests are open

When requests are open, I would love to hear your Five requests via the 'ask me anything' button on my blog.

All my oneshots so far are available on my megalist

I'm fairly versatile in what I write (fluff, smut, angst, psychological character study- I'll try it all) but I will consider them on a case by case basis so please don't be offended if I don't respond- sometimes ideas don't work for me or are outside my scope but that doesn't mean it's a bad idea!

When you request, please do me a favour and include: The prompt, whether you're expecting smut and any other details you think might help - just try not to make it too long or it will mean that people won't be able to tell there's a fic when I respond to your ask.

Boundaries (hard lines):

I exclusively write physically aged-up content for Five. Think 6+ years after the end of season 3.

I don't want to write about Five having sex with very young or inexperienced people. He's 58 and it feels messy. (No issue with age gap in general, I just feel like the younger partner should be old and experienced enough to consent to a 58y/o understanding the implications.

Ageplay - anything with 'littles'.

NO Five/Lila. I cannot stress this enough. I never thought I'd have a NOTP but here we are.

Trends (what I've noticed about myself so far):

Prompts that need Five to be very OOC tend not to appeal to me.

I am likely to reject prompts intended to be sexy where the boundaries of consent are too blurry. Yandere is an example of what I tend to not enjoy. (I will still consider prompts but may change them up a bit).

I don't enjoy writing human Delores.

I can struggle if something is out of the scope of my experience. It's like, your prompt may appeal to me but, I don't know how to fulfil it. To give one example for smut, I may need more info in terms of what exactly you find hot about a kink you have but I don't.

I will almost certainly not write a request set in Season 4 generally. Feel free to send them (the odd one might spark something), but I hated that season so much that I'm unlikely to fulfil it.

[kwanisms]

Did You See That? — l.jihoon

«« part one | seventeen masterlist | end.

➮ producer!Jihoon × f!Reader wc: 18.1k (I have no words but I'm not sorry lol) summary: After discovering that Y/N isn’t dead but actually in a coma, Jihoon is determined to get her spirit back into her body. What neither he nor Y/N are prepared for is what happens when she finally does wake up. genres/themes/au: angst, fluff; supernatural themes, ghostly themes; non idol au, ghost au warnings: adult dialogue, mentions of death, alcohol consumption (there’s a lot of wine and I’m not sorry. I’m just that bitch), a lot of angst

special tags: @peachescherryheart @steamingramyun @studiogiblhi @bunnyjaycheoluwu @bri-brithebumblebeee @helloitsai @shez-kindathat-hot1995 @mvltimoon @justasoftstan @wonugyu @vernongyu @babytaes @mysafehaneul @jisooxxi @seodami @burningupp @rubyreduji @sea-gyu @hittwon @seokgyuu @baby-chocolat @my-bias-list-is-ruined @3sriracha @justapotatonow @han-hoshi @johfaam @donotmindmeiamembarrassing @bbsmxlming @stilesbff @lunaryoongi permanent tags: @yoonguurt @wonderfulshinee @candidupped @dejavernon @violagoth @tigermoonbiss @katsukis1wife @luvsooby @thesolarplanetarysystem @salty-for-suga @devilsmatches @dmnspiit @simeonswhore @yangracha @atinypurr @aikyubi @labyrinthonmymind @bintificreads @toxic-babexe @plutoneu @mistlightmoonlight @pristineaugustine @imwhoever join my taglists! Strikethrough means I cannot tag you. MINORS WILL BE BLACKLISTED & BLOCKED. AGELESS BLOGS WILL ALSO BE BLOCKED.

a/n: I am so sorry it took so long to get this done and that y’all have been waiting literal years for this but it’s finally here. The long awaited sequel to Did You Hear That? I hope it lives up to your expectations and that you all enjoy the finale! Thank you so much for reading as always, this is a work of fiction and all characters are not reflective of their respective irl counterparts. for entertainment purposes only.

═══════════════════════════════════════════

“That makes no sense,” you whispered. “If I’m not dead, why am I a ghost?”

Jihoon shrugged his shoulders. “I can’t answer that either. I have no idea how any of this works but Jihyo said you aren’t dead. You’re in a coma.” 

You stared at Jihoon for a few moments before looking away, your mind spinning with this revelation. If your old roommate said it was the truth, who were you to deny it?

Clearing your throat, you turned to look at Jihoon. "If I'm in a coma," you started, your voice soft. "Can you… I don't know, go see my body?" You cringed after asking the question. It sounded completely ridiculous.

Jihoon nodded silently. "I think I can do that," he answered, his voice equally as soft as yours. Your eyes widened, lips parting in a small O. "I'll go tomorrow," he added. You felt a rush surge through your body, almost like electricity. To say you were excited would be an understatement.

The next morning, Jihoon got up and headed into the kitchen to make his morning coffee. You had been sitting outside on the balcony, watching the sunrise. If Jihoon and Jihyo were right and you weren't dead, then that changed everything. 

It meant your body was out there somewhere and you needed to find your way back to it.

The sound of the sliding door caught your attention and you turned to see Jihoon peering out onto the balcony. "Y/N?" he asked softly. You shifted into his view and felt the same feeling of electricity surge through your body when he smiled.

"Hey," he said softly as he stepped onto the balcony, sliding the door shut behind him. "Hey," you repeated as he took a seat. You watched as he took a sip of his coffee. "I miss that," you admitted as he lowered his cup. Jihoon glanced down at the black liquid in his mug and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sure there's a lot you miss," he replied, eyes shifting back to you.

A small chuckle escaped you as you looked out into the sun rising over the city. "Yeah," you replied, holding back tears. "So," you said, inhaling deeply and turning to face Jihoon. "When are you going to the hospital?" you asked, hoping to change the subject and turn the focus away from the fact you almost started crying.

"In a few hours. Jihyo said she'll meet me there and take me up there. She has a class this morning," he said before taking another sip of coffee. You nodded silently, unsure of how to respond. "Since we're up," Jihoon added. "You wanna just hang out?" he asked. "Just… talk?" he added. You smiled shyly before nodding.

"Yeah," you replied. "I'd like that."

The two of you sat on the balcony, the sun rising in the distance, bathing your little sanctuary in sunlight. You missed the warmth from the sun and looked up sadly at it. Jihoon noticed and wanted desperately to reach out and take your hand, to comfort you.

"You miss it, don't you?" he asked.

You nodded. "I miss a lot of things," you repeated his words from earlier. Jihoon nodded, taking a final gulp of his cooled down coffee. "What else do you miss?" he asked as he set the mug aside, pulling the blanket from the living room further around his body.

"Truthfully?" you asked before looking at him. "I miss a lot. I miss sleeping, I miss petting dogs and cats, I miss cooking and eating, I miss taking baths," you admitted, not looking at Jihoon as you listed off the things you missed about being in your body. "Anything else?" Jihoon asked, tilting his head. You nodded silently.

"I miss being held," you answered quietly. "I miss… being kissed," you added in an even quieter voice. You saw Jihoon’s ears turn pink but chose to ignore it. "I can't imagine spending so much time without being touched," he replied. "That sounds awful," he added.

You nodded. "It's been tough," you admitted. "Especially now," you started before trailing off. Jihoon’s eyes flickered up to meet yours and you knew that he knew what you were going to say. You could see in his eyes that he wanted the same thing. A few silent moments passed before your unspoken bond was broken by the ringing of Jihoon's phone. He pulled the device out and glanced down at it. "Oh, it's Jihyo," he said and answered.

"Hello?" 

You watched with curious eyes as he listened to what your roommate had to say. "Alright," he replied. 

"Sounds good. I'll be there soon." 

Jihoon sat upright, saying goodbye and hung up, placing his phone back into his pocket. "She's out of class," he explained. "I'm going to go meet her at the hospital."

You sighed as he stood up, grabbing the blanket and moving towards the door. "I wish I could go with you," you said, looking out at the city. Jihoon grimaced, uncertain of what to say. "I'll be back soon," he finally replied. When you didn't respond, he decided to let you be and stepped into the apartment, sliding the door shut behind him. 

In the kitchen, Seungcheol was sipping on some coffee while he made some eggs, Soonyoung sat at the island, scrolling through his phone. Both men looked up at him as he entered. "Is Y/N outside?" Soonyoung asked. Jihoon nodded. "But it's best to leave her alone right now," he added as he set the blanket on the couch.

"Where are you going?" Seungcheol asked as Jihoon set his mug in the sink and turned to grab his keys and walked over to the front door. "I'm going to meet Jihyo, (Y/N)'s old roommate," he said as he opened the closet and grabbed his coat. "Are you going to the hospital?" Soonyoung asked. Jihoon nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "Where her…” he trailed off, glancing out the window to the balcony. “…body is?" Seungcheol asked softly. Jihoon nodded again. 

"I'll keep you guys updated," he added.

Neither one said anything as they watched Jihoon slip on his shoes and exit the apartment. Once the door shut behind him, Soonyoung and Seungcheol exchanged glances before they both looked out the sliding glass door at your silhouette sitting out there.

Jihoon pressed the elevator button, zoning out as he waited for the lift to arrive. His thoughts swirled in his mind as he wondered how, if at all, he could get you to wake up. He thought if he could get you to wake up, maybe you could slowly get back to your life and if you could get back to some semblance of normalcy, then perhaps there was a chance for the two of you.

He stepped onto the lift when it arrived and pressed the button for the lobby. The ride down was quick as he followed autopilot, walking into the parking garage and to his car. He wasn't sure how he functioned on autopilot but it seemed to take no time to get from his apartment to the hospital. Almost as soon as he left the apartment, it felt like he was pulling into a parking space at the hospital.

He parked and turned off the car before pulling out his phone and sending a text to Jihyo that he was at the hospital. He sat for a moment, waiting for a response. He was glancing at his reflection in the rear view mirror when he felt his phone vibrate.

Seo Jihyo: I'm in the lobby in a long tan coat

Jihoon got out of his car and made his way towards the main entrance of the hospital. Following the automatic spinning door in, he saw a tall slender woman with shoulder length black hair, soft features, and wide, doe-like eyes. She was wearing black ankle length pants, a cream turtleneck sweater and… a long tan coat. 

Jihoon walked over slowly. The woman made eye contact and watched as he approached. 

"Jihyo?" he asked. She nodded, looking him up and down. "Jihoon, I presume?" she replied to which he nodded. She bowed politely, a gesture Jihoon returned. "It's so nice to meet you, " he said. Jihyo smiled at him, flashing a set of brilliant white teeth. “Likewise,” she said, before motioning for him to follow her.

They walked through the lobby, greeting the receptionist behind the front desk as they headed for the elevators. Jihyo pressed the button, returning her hands to her pockets and watching the floor indicator countdown. “She’s up in the coma ward,” Jihyo started to explain.

“She’s been there since the… accident.”

Judging by the look on her face, Jihoon could assume she didn’t like to talk about the accident or what happened to her friend. He didn’t blame her one bit. If something traumatic happened to Seungcheol or Soonyoung, he wasn’t sure he’d want to speak about it either. Glancing up at Jihyo’s face, Jihoon tried not to stare at Jihyo but he couldn't help but notice how pretty she was.

But he still thought you were prettier. 

The doors opened, allowing the two to step inside. The doors shut behind them and the lift began moving immediately. "So,” Jihoon started, clearing his throat. “Do you come here often?" Jihoon asked. Jihyo nodded. "As often as I can,” she answered. “It’s difficult sometimes as I'm working on my master's degree but I like to come here and read to her," she admitted. Jihoon smiled. 

"What do you normally read to her?" he asked. Jihyo returned the smile. "Usually poems,” Jihyo replied, a dreamy tone in her voice. “She really likes romantic poems.” Jihoon tried not to chuckle as Jihyo talked. It sounded just like you. At least the you that he had come to know. “Has she always been a romantic?” he asked suddenly, catching Jihyo by surprise.

“Uhm,” Jihyo hummed, nibbling on her bottom lip. “She’s never mentioned it before but she’s always been a huge fan of romantic stories. Books, movies, poems. She loves all of it,” she continued. “So I guess you could say she is a bit of a romantic.”

Jihoon nodded, glancing up at the number indicator inside the lift as it counted up.

“What else do you read to her?” he asked softly.

Jihyo paused, looking deep in thought but answered him nonetheless. “Mostly just the poems,” she replied. “But sometimes I'll read the news. She doesn't seem to like that as much," she said with a chuckle. Jihoon joined in as the elevator reached the tenth floor. The doors opened and the two of them stepped out, Jihoon following Jihyo out of the lift and through the hallways. She stopped at a desk where a nurse sat behind.

The nurse looked up and smiled at Jihyo, seeming to recognize her. She then looked at Jihoon. "This is my cousin," Jihyo said, gesturing at Jihoon. "He's been out of town but wanted to come see Y/N. They used to go to school together," she explained. 

The nurse nodded and asked for Jihoon's ID. He handed it over and waited while she made a copy. She then printed a visitor pass for him and gave that to him along with his ID. Jihoon thanked her and put on the pass, following Jihyo through the door after it buzzed open.

Jihoon followed Jihyo down the corridor, keeping on her heels. “You don’t get a visitor’s pass?” he asked softly as they strolled down the hallway passing nurses and doctors as they went. Jihyo shook her head, showing him a different kind of pass. It was laminated and on a lanyard. “I have a permanent pass,” she explained. “Y/N’s parents asked since they don’t live in the city and I’m almost like a daughter to them,” she continued. 

“They made a special exception based on the circumstances. Here we are,” she said suddenly as they approached a room in the corner. Jihoon felt his chest tighten. He wasn’t sure how he would feel on his way here but now that he was here, it felt surreal. He wasn’t sure if he was ready.

Whether he was ready or not didn’t matter as Jihyo opened the door and peered in. “Come on,” she whispered, leading the way in, allowing Jihoon to catch the door before it shut behind her. He followed her in, noticing two nurses. One was checking the monitors while the other was writing notes.

The two smiled as Jihyo and Jihoon entered the room. "We were just finishing up," one of the nurses said, scribbling hastily on his clipboard. "I already read the news to her," he added. "She definitely did not like it," he said as he moved to walk past them, offering Jihyo a wink.

Jihyo chuckled and moved around to sit beside the bed. Jihoon watched as Jihyo took your hand gentle, holding it between hers as she looked at you. The second nurse excused herself and left the room, shutting the door behind her. Jihoon stared in awe at the body lying in the bed. There was no doubt about it. It was definitely you.

He took note of how peaceful you looked. Like you were in a deep sleep. 

There were all kinds of wires connected to you and it shocked him how similar it seemed to any of the doctor shows he’d seen on TV. An IV was attached to your arm, running across the linens and up to a bag with clear fluid, hanging from a stand by the head of your bed. 

There was also a tube down your throat and a smaller breathing tube taped under your nose. He felt his heart clench at the sight. Despite how jarring it looked, you still looked so beautiful. The slow rise and fall of your chest as the machine helped you breathe.

Jihoon moved slowly and stared down at you. He was tempted to reach out and take your hand or stroke your cheek but he refrained from doing so. Instead, he sat down across from Jihyo. She watched him as he watched you. She could see the recognition pass over his features. He knew you somehow, there was no denying it. Jihyo glanced at your form, blinking back tears.

"How long has she been asleep?" Jihoon asked suddenly. Jihyo blinked more tears away as she composed herself. "Almost a year," she said, her voice wavering. Jihoon glanced over at her. He couldn't imagine seeing your best friend like this. He didn't even want to imagine something like this happening to Seungcheol or Soonyoung.

He cleared his throat, the sound louder in the empty room.

"And has there been any improvement?" he asked. Jihyo nodded. "They’ve noticed that in the last couple months, her brain activity has spiked on several occasions. The doctors said it could be her trying to wake up but they said not to get our hopes up," Jihyo answered. Jihoon frowned. "Why?" he asked. Jihyo sighed heavily.

"Basically, they said as quickly as she's been improving, she could decline just as fast," Jihyo replied, sniffling slightly. Jihoon glanced from your face to Jihyo. He felt for her, he really did. He looked back at you. "I hope that's not the case," he said softly. Jihyo nodded. "I hope so too," she stated.

Silence fell over the two as they watched your sleeping form.

You sat on the balcony, peering over the railing at the busy streets below. You sighed heavily and strained your ears, hearing voices in the distance. You blinked slowly, still staring at the lively city streets.

The voices in the distance started to grow louder. You lifted your head and tried to focus on the voices. You couldn't tell where they were coming from at first. They weren't drifting from the street below nor were they coming from another apartment. You glanced behind you to see if the boys were watching TV but they weren't.

You then realized the voices were coming from inside your head.

"How long has she been asleep?" you heard a familiar voice ask. 'Jihoon?' you wondered. "Almost a year," another familiar voice replied. You sat up, looking around quickly. "Jihyo?" you whispered. You got to your feet and walked back into the apartment, sliding through the door. "And has there been any improvement?" you heard Jihoon's voice ask.

'He must be in my hospital room!' you thought to yourself. "They’ve noticed that in the last couple months, her brain activity has spiked on several occasions. The doctors said it could be her trying to wake up but they said not to get our hopes up," Jihyo answered, her voice echoing in your head. "Why?" Jihoon asked. 'Yeah, why?' you thought as you listened to the conversation, starting to feel dizzy.

"Basically, they said as quickly as she's been improving, she could decline just as fast," Jihyo replied. You could hear her sniffling slightly. It was a moment before Jihoon responded. "I hope that's not the case," he said softly. Your vision started to grow dark as you stood still in the front room. You saw at the edge of your vision, Soonyoung walking toward you. He was speaking but you couldn't hear him. He stopped just before you. You saw his lips moving, repeating your name, trying to get your attention.

Jihyo's voice in your head spoke. "I hope so too," she said. Your vision went black with your head swimming.

Soonyoung had just walked into the room, seeing you standing in the living room. He watched as your head moved as if looking around but your eyes were unfocused, blinking rapidly. He walked over slowly. "(Y/N)?" he asked softly. You didn't respond, but your eyes started rolling around in your head. You continued to look around as if trying to find something. "(Y/N), are you alright?" Soonyoung asked.

He repeated your name a few more times, Seungcheol walking into the room behind him. "Is she okay?" he asked. Soonyoung glanced over his shoulder and shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. He turned back to you. "Y/N, are you okay?!" Soonyoung asked again but you didn't respond. Instead, your eyes rolled back into your head and your image shook visibly until you just vanished.

Soonyoung and Seungcheol both shouted in shock, looking around frantically. "What the fuck was that?" Seungcheol asked. Soonyoung shook his head, turning to look at his roommate. "I have no idea!" he answered. "I'm gonna call Jihoon," he said, pulling his phone out, and dialing his friend's number.

Jihoon felt his phone vibrate and quickly pulled it out of his pocket, checking the screen.  Soonyoung was calling him. Jihoon glanced up at Jihyo who gave him a curious look. "I-I’m sorry,” he stammered, looking up from the device. “I need to take this. I'll be right back," he said, getting to his feet. Jihyo nodded, gesturing for him to do as he needed. Jihoon thanked her and stepped out of the room, answering the call. 

"What is it, Soonyoung?"

Soonyoung started talking immediately, his voice loud in the receiver but Jihoon couldn't discern what his friend was saying. "Soonyoung, you need to calm down," Jihoon said softly. He plugged his free ear, trying to hear his friend better. "Explain that to me again," he added. 

He heard Soonyoung shush Seungcheol in the background.

"Something’s happened to (Y/N)," Soonyoung started again. 

Jihoon felt his heart drop into his stomach. 

"What?" he asked. "What do you mean?" 

He heard Soonyoung shush Seungcheol again. "I don't know but I walked into the living room and she was standing there, her eyes were going all crazy. It looked like she was having a seizure but I know that's not possible," he explained.

Jihoon could feel his heart start to race and his breathing quicken. "Alright," he finally said. "I'll be there as soon as I can," he answered. He said goodbye and hung up before returning to your room where Jihyo was waiting patiently. Jihoon walked over to your bed and grabbed his coat. "There's an emergency at home," he explained. Jihyo nodded understandingly.

"Would it be alright if I came back tomorrow?" Jihoon asked. "I have another day off and maybe I could try to wake her up?" he added. Jihyo gave him a small smile. "I have classes all day but it should be fine," she said with a nod. Jihoon gave her a thankful smile.

"Thank you," he answered. "I'll come back tomorrow morning," he stated. Jihoon exited the room and made his way to the waiting room, giving his pass back to the nurse behind the desk and headed for the elevator, pressing the down button.

Once on the lift, Jihoon pulled on his coat and waited for the elevator to reach the lobby. He headed out of the hospital once the doors opened and headed out to his waiting car. He got into the driver's seat, buckling his seat belt and starting the engine.

He wondered what could have happened to make you disappear like that. Was it your body pulling you back? Trying to wake you up?

Once he pulled out of the space, he pulled onto the street and made the drive back to the apartment. 

In record time, Jihoon was pulling into his parking space and headed into the building. He nodded a silent greeting to the concierge desk, heading to the elevator and pressing the call button. The doors opened quickly and Jihoon stepped inside and pressed the button for his floor.

The ride up was quick and uneventful and soon he was walking up to the front door of his shared apartment. He unlocked the door with the keycode and pulled the door open, stepping inside. Soonyoung and Seungcheol were searching the apartment frantically as he slipped off his shoes and coat. "Okay," Jihoon said as he walked further into the apartment. "Tell me what happened again."

Ten minutes later, he sat on the couch blinking as he tried to process the story Soonyoung told him. He glanced from Soonyoung to Seungcheol. "And you haven't seen her since?" he asked. The both of them nodded quickly. Jihoon sighed and leaned back against the couch, thinking deeply. 

“What do we do?” Soonyoung asked, glancing from Seungcheol to Jihoon.

"Let’s give her some time and let her come back to us on her own," Jihoon said after giving it some thought. “Maybe she was feeling overwhelmed? It might have something to do with her brain activity spiking at the hospital,” Jihoon explained. “We can’t know for sure until she reappears.”

‘If she reappears.’

Soonyoung nodded slowly. “Okay,” he replied, leaning back in his seat while Seungcheol looked deep in thought. “She will come back, right?” Soonyoung asked suddenly. Jihoon shrugged lightly, shaking his head as he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. “I don’t know,” he answered.

“I don’t know.”

A few hours had gone by and Jihoon was sitting at his desk, working on a new project. One he’d started last week. His head bobbed slightly as he listened to the beat he was working on when he heard another sound over the music. He turned and looked behind him, nearly jumping out of his chair when he saw you standing behind him.

Pressing pause and pulling his headphones off, Jihoon stood quickly as you looked up at him. "Are you okay?" he asked. You looked around, confused as to how you ended up in his room. The last thing you remembered was standing in the living room before blacking out. Jihoon sat on the edge of his bed and patted the spot beside him. You sat down next to him.

"What happened?" he asked. You shook your head. "I-I don't know," you stammered. "Explain what you experienced. What do you remember?" he added. After collecting your thoughts, you started to explain about hearing his and Jihyo's voices and how you were standing in the living room and blacked out and then came to and was standing in his room. 

Jihoon listened intently until you finished. When you were done, he explained what Soonyoung had told him. You listened in horror as he told you Soonyoung and Seungcheol's side of the story. "Oh my god," you whispered, mortified. "That must have been terrifying for them," you admitted. Jihoon shrugged but you remembered what he had gone to do that morning.

"Wait,” you said, perking up. “How did it go at the hospital?" you asked. 

Jihoon sat up a little straighter. "It, uh.. It went well. I'm actually going back tomorrow," he replied. 

"Tomorrow?" you asked, tilting your head. "Why?" 

Jihoon reached up, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, I'm gonna try to wake you up," he admitted nonchalantly. You felt a smile spread across your face. 

"Really?" you asked excitedly. Jihoon nodded, returning the smile. "I'm not really sure what I could do, but I'm gonna try," he said with a shrug. You smiled wider. "I hope it works," you said softly. "Me too," Jihoon replied. You sat on the edge of Jihoon's bed as he slept. You smiled, watching his peaceful expression, wishing desperately to be able to reach out and touch him. You let out a soft sigh.

'Soon.'

The next morning, Jihoon got up and downed his coffee and a quick breakfast. You sat with him, talking about what happened the previous day. When he finished, he rinsed his plate and put it in the dishwasher. He turned to clean the counter before walking over to the door, pulling on his coat and slipping his shoes on. 

You walked over, leaning against the wall and crossing your arms over your chest. Jihoon glanced back at you, giving you a warm smile, one which you returned. “Hey,” he said softly, glancing down. “If I succeed in waking you up," Jihoon said softly. "I just want you to know that," he added, trailing off softly. You stared at him curiously.

Jihoon looked up from the floor, taking a deep breath. 

"I just want you to know that I love you," he admitted, his cheeks turning pink. 

You bit your bottom lip, trying to fight a huge grin threatening to spread across your face. "Really?" you asked breathlessly. Jihoon nodded quickly. You couldn't stop the smile from spreading this time. "I love you, too," you whispered. It was Jihoon's turn to smile.

"If I could touch you, I'd kiss you right now," he said softly. You giggled and waved your hand at him, shooing him away. "Well then, go, wake me up and you'll be able to kiss me a lot sooner!" you squeaked. Jihoon laughed and pushed open the door, stepping out into the hall and making his way down to the lobby as quickly as the lift would allow.

The drive to the hospital seemed to fly by and soon he was stepping off the elevator and greeting the nurse behind the desk. She handed him a visitor pass after checking his ID and buzzed him through the door. Jihoon made his way down the hall towards your room.

He entered, shutting the door behind him and peered at your still form, smiling as he took a seat beside your bed. He shrugged his coat off and leaned forward, resting his forearms on your bed.

"Hey, Y/N," he said softly. I hope you can hear me."

You had just stepped out onto the balcony when you heard a whisper in your head. "Jihoon must be there," you whispered to yourself as you took a seat. You stared out, watching the sun rise.

"You've been asleep for so long, it's time to wake up," Jihoon whispered, moving his hand to place it softly over yours. Feeling your hand under his was unreal, something he never expected to feel. He glanced up at your face, watching for any sign.

You felt your hand tingle and glanced down at it. "What the hell?" you whispered. 'Is he… holding my hand?' you wondered.

Jihoon gently stroked the back of your hand with his thumb, speaking softly as he tried to bring you back. "Please wake up, baby," he whispered. "Wake up so you can leave this place." 

You enjoyed the feeling in your hand, knowing Jihoon was holding your hand. You heard his voice again, your eyes fluttering shut as you focused on his voice. "Please wake up, baby." You smiled when he called you baby, feeling a warm sensation throughout your body.

"I want to come back," you whispered. You felt a whooshing feeling, a rush surge through you, the sounds of the city fading away, replaced with a soft beeping. "Y/N?" you heard Jihoon's voice clearly and your eyes snapped open. You were sitting across from him, his eyes were wide open. 

You looked down and saw your body lying between you. Your eyes widened and your lips parted in shock. You were seeing your body for the first time in what felt like years. Looking back up at Jihoon, his look of shock morphed into delight. "You're so close!" he whispered. You looked back down at your body.

He was right. Your body was right here. All you had to do was figure out how to get your soul back inside your body and wake up. But you had no idea where to begin.

You looked back up at Jihoon. "I have no idea what to do," you said softly. "Try touching your body?" Jihoon asked. You nodded and looked back at your body, reaching out slowly, you touched your hand, shutting your eyes but nothing happened.

Opening your eyes, you were still standing beside your bed, your hand passing through your body, Jihoon watching you closely. You let out a sigh, disappointed. Jihoon visibly slumped. 

"Wh-what am I supposed to do?"  you whined. Jihoon shook his head. "I'm not sure," he whispered. The two of you stayed silent as you mulled over what you could try to reunite with your comatose body.

Minutes ticked by while you watched Jihoon as he held your hand, still watching your sleeping expression. The only sounds that could be heard were the beeping of your monitor and the breathing machine. He let out a sigh, his breath fanning over your comatose arm, causing a tingle to run up your arm. "This is so frustrating," you whined, taking a seat. Jihoon glanced at you, a grimace on his face.

"I wish I could help," he said softly. "Maybe try touching my face or something?" you asked. Jihoon nodded and leaned forward. His fingers brushed against your face as he cupped your cheek, his thumb stroking the skin lovingly. "Anything?" he asked, glancing up at you. You shook your head in response.

Jihoon let out a sigh and stared at your sleeping face. It was a moment before he spoke again. 

"I'm gonna try something, but I need you to look away. I can't do it with you watching." You gave him a curious look. "Please just trust me," he said. You stood up and turned away slowly, moving behind the curtain.

Jihoon stood up, taking a deep breath and letting out before leaning over slowly. He placed his hand on your cheek, checking your eyes before leaning in closer. He hesitated for a moment before pressing his lips to your forehead.

You stood behind the curtain, waiting for something to happen, anything at this point. You suddenly felt a tingle in your cheek and wondered what Jihoon was doing when you felt your forehead tingle. Your eyes widened when you realized what he was doing.

Was… was he kissing you.

A surge of emotion and electricity flowed through you. The monitor in the room started beeping faster. Your heart was starting to race. The tingling spread throughout your body. You tried to move but you couldn't. Your head was growing more and more dizzy until your vision grew dark.

Jihoon pulled back as your heart monitor started to beep faster and faster. He stood up and glanced at it. After a moment, he glanced down and saw your eyes start to flutter open. “Oh my god,” he breathed.

Scrambling past the chair he’d been sitting on, he rushed to the door, yanking it open, and looked into the hallway. 

"Nurse!" he called out. “She’s waking up!”

A nurse hurried over and followed him into the room. She came in to check your vitals. "Oh my god," she whispered as you were slowly starting to rouse. She hurried to the door and called for a doctor as a couple more nurses came in. 

You started to gag against the tube in your throat. “Y/N,” the doctor said as he came in quickly. “I need you to stay still for me,” he continued, walking over to your side as the nurses tried to hold you still as you fought against the tube. “You’ve been in a coma for ten months. You have a tube down your throat.”

Jihoon could see your eyes widening, tears filling the bottom of your lash line.

“We’re going to remove the tube, but you need to calm down and be still for me.”

You started to stop moving. “Very good,” the doctor said calmly. 

One of the nurses noticed Jihoon still standing there and walked over, gently taking his arm. "You'll need to leave," she said. “We’ll call you back in when we’ve had a chance to look over her,” she added with a gentle smile. Jihoon nodded. "Can I just stand outside?" he asked. The nurse nodded and Jihoon thanked her, stepping out into the hallway.

He paced slowly while the doctor and nurses worked. He pulled his phone out to text Soonyoung and Seungcheol, telling them you were waking up.

Soon: oh my god! Tell me this isn’t a joke!

Cheol: when was the last time Hoon told a joke?

Cheol: and why would he joke about this of all things?

Cheol: come on Soon, use your brain, I know it’s there

Soon: 😤

Jihoon: they’re gonna call me back in when they’re done

As he was typing another message, his phone started ringing. The screen displayed Jihyo’s name. He answered it with a quick "hello?"

Jihyo spoke quickly. She sounded out of breath. 

"What’s going on?! I just got a call that Y/N is waking up?!" she asked. 

Jihoon let out a huff. "Yeah. I uh… I don’t know what happened or how but she just woke up. The nurses and doctors are in there right now. They're taking the tube out of her throat," he said. He heard Jihyo sob softly. "Okay, uhm," she said in a wavering voice. "I-I'm on my way now."

Jihoon nodded.”Okay,” he answered. “See you soon,” he added before hanging up. 

The wait was excruciating while the nurses and doctor worked on you. All he could think about was how you were now awake. After ten months. Almost a year after your accident. You were finally awake. He let out an incredulous scoff, covering his mouth with his hand as he tried not to break down right then.

He couldn’t wrap his head around it. You were awake.

About 20 minutes later, Jihoon heard footsteps rushing down the hall and looked up to see Jihyo had arrived and was walking briskly down the hall towards him. 

"How is she?" she asked as soon as she was in earshot. Jihoon was about to answer when the door opened and the doctor followed the nurses out. Jihyo rushed forward. "What's going on? How is she?" she asked. The doctor gave her a faint smile.

"Your friend is awake. We took her off the breathing machine and her vitals look good. We’re going to do some more blood work but you can go in for now," he answered. Jihyo thanked him and hurried into the room, Jihoon following closely behind her. Jihyo took a seat beside you while Jihoon stood near the door, smiling as he watched you give your friend a weary smile. 

Jihyo who had tears streaming down her cheeks, smiled back.

"I thought you'd never wake up again," Jihyo sobbed, taking your hand tightly in hers. You reached up and placed your hand over hers. "Well,” you whispered, your voice extremely hoarse. “I'm here now."

Jihyo let out a sound that seemed to be a mix between a laugh and a sob, tears still streaming down her face. “You’re not allowed to use the stairs ever again,” Jihyo said sternly, making you laugh which turned into a cough. As if on cue, a nurse appeared with a cup of ice water, a bendable straw poking out the lid.

“Thought you might be thirsty,” the nurse said as he moved to place the water on the table but instead handed it to Jihyo when she held out her hand for it. “I’ll make sure she drinks it,” she said, voice wavering. “I’m not going anywhere.” The nurse smiled and exited the room, nodding once at Jihoon who returned the gesture before turning his attention back to you and Jihyo.

You took several long sips of water, swallowing thickly as you got the liquid into you. “God that tastes amazing,” you said weakly as Jihyo set the cup on the bedside table. You suddenly glanced over at Jihoon, eyes wide before looking back at Jihyo. 

"Do you recognize this man?" Jihyo asked. You looked back at Jihoon, brow furrowed as you looked over him. You turned to look at Jihyo, silently shaking your head. Jihoon felt his stomach sink as he watched the exchange. ‘Oh no,’ he thought. ‘Please no.’

"No," you finally whispered. "Who is he?"

Jihoon felt like he'd been stabbed in the heart but did his best not to show it. Jihyo glanced at him, her eyes apologetic. "I'll uh… give you two some privacy," Jihoon whispered, backing towards the door. Jihyo noticed and  stood quickly, telling you she'd be right back. She hurried after Jihoon as he left the room.

"Hey,” she said, grabbing his arm and turning him towards her. “I’ll take care of it,” she added.

“Take… care of it? How?” he said with a scoff. The woman he’d fallen in love with didn’t recognize him. She had no idea who he was. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. She was supposed to wake up and then everything would be just fine.

“I'll explain everything to her when she's fully conscious," Jihyo explained, pulling him from his thoughts. 

Jihoon forced a smile. “You don’t have to,” he said softly. “If she doesn’t know who I am, it’s fine. At least she’s awake now, right?” Jihoon turned to leave but Jihyo grabbed his wrist gently. “I’ll keep you updated,” she said softly before letting go.

Jihoon nodded wordlessly and made his way down the corridor, returning his pass and heading for the elevator to head down to the lobby. He was silent the entire time, keeping his eyes forward and trying not to think, not to break down. The doors opened with a ding and he stepped onto the thankfully empty elevator.

When the doors shut behind him is when he lost his composure, slowly sliding down the wall and ducking his head as a soft sob ripped through his chest. 

He hadn't expected you to not recognize him and now he didn't know if you would ever recognize him.

---------------------

The drive home was silent. Jihoon hadn't bothered with the radio, preferring the silence. He pulled into his usual parking space, cutting the engine and sitting in the now completely silent car. He stared at the steering wheel, his mind blank before he sighed and leaned forward, resting his forehead against the leather.

His thoughts and emotions came rushing back to him, the corners of his eyes burning, tears threatening to spill. He figured he’d better let it all out now before he went back inside to tell Seungcheol and Soonyoung the news.

He opened his eyes, staring blankly at his jeans, hot tears flowing freely as he let himself be vulnerable in the comfort and privacy of his car. If he had done this in the apartment, he’d never hear the end of it. At least in the car, no one knew.

He allowed the gravity of the situation to finally wash over him. You didn’t know him. You didn’t recognize him. Like the last several months hadn’t happened. Jihyo had promised to handle it. To take on the task of explaining everything to you but Jihoon didn’t feel the least bit hopeful.

How could he? When he knew it was useless. Whatever had happened while your soul was outside your body hadn’t transferred over. The late night talks, the jokes, the accidental summoning, the morning conversations on the balcony, the notes back and forth on post-its, all of it. It seemed he would be the only one to remember it all.

His eyes widened as another revelation hit him, fresh tears spilling down his face, staining his cheeks.

Your voice, soft and almost distant in his memory. “I love you, too.”

You’d never remember the confession this morning. How you reciprocate his feelings. Then another voice, his own, spoke in his mind. “No matter what happens, I just want you to know I love you.”

A soft smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. He needed to keep that promise alive. He’d love you no matter what. No matter the outcome. He had to hold onto that. Even if he felt hopeless you’d never remember. He could remember for the both of you.

He would remember.

Dragging his feet, Jihoon found himself outside the apartment door, not remembering the walk here nor getting on the elevator. He’d blocked it all out. Taking a deep breath he resolved himself to opening the door and let himself in rather than turning around and running away, never to be seen again.

Inside the apartment felt different. It felt… empty. Your presence was gone entirely. The warm feeling Jihoon felt upon entering in the past was gone, replaced with a cold, uninviting space. The way a home felt when there was no longer any life or joy in it. And it was true.

With you gone, there was no longer any life or joy in the home. Not for Jihoon.

He silently made his way through the apartment, trudging down the hall like the weight of a million worries and thoughts had all piled on top of him. He reached his room and looked inside. It too felt cold and empty. He sighed heavily, stepping into the room and shutting his door to the hall.

Cutting himself off from the rest of the apartment. He needed to be alone. He couldn’t cope with it all at the moment. He needed solitude. He let his bag drop to the floor with a heavy thud, dropping into his chair at his desk and staring blankly at the wooden surface. He didn’t know what to do with himself. Usually he’d throw himself into his work to avoid these situations.

To take his mind off it all but now… he feared not even work would be enough to distract him.

What was he going to do now?

When Soonyoung finally arrived home, it was dark and seemingly empty. It had felt the same since that morning when your soul had disappeared from the balcony, taking all the warmth with it. He’d decided to leave, spending the day at the park and out running errands to distract himself from the weird feeling of the apartment. Seungcheol had left shortly after Jihoon but hadn’t returned home either.

Turning on the kitchen lights over the island, Soonyoung shrugged off his coat and set it on the back of the nearest stool, setting a black plastic bag on the counter. He’d stopped to grab some chicken and beer, hoping the familiarity of the food would bring back some of that warm homey feel.

He wandered through the apartment in search of someone to share his meal with, not wanting to eat alone. He continued down the hall, noticing Jihoon’s door was shut. ‘I’m sure he left that open when he left this morning,’ Soonyoung told himself as he walked towards the door.

He raised his fist, knocking softly three times.

There was no answer. He tried again, straining his ears for any sound on the other side of the wood.

“Go away,” said a muffled voice. Soonyoung perked up, having found someone else home.

“I brought chicken and beer,” Soonyoung said through the door. “I don’t want to eat alone,” he added.

“Please don’t make me eat alone.”

He heard a shuffle on the other side and the door opened, revealing Jihoon. He had dark circles under his eyes which were red and his hair was tousled, no doubt having been in bed. Soonyoung had half a mind to ask what happened, his mind jumping to conclusions at the state of Jihoon’s appearance.

“She’s not…” he whispered, causing Jihoon to look up at him. He shook his head. “She’s fine,” he answered, voice hoarse. “She’s awake.” Soonyoung’s eyes widened. “What?” he whispered. Jihoon shook his head. “I don’t want to talk about it right now,” he added. “Where’s the beer?”

Soonyoung nodded down the hall towards the living area. Jihoon ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame the locks before stepping out of his room, shutting the door behind him. Soonyoung followed as Jihoon trekked down the hall sluggishly.

He walked around the kitchen island to open the plastic bag and produced the beer. Jihoon grabbed one and popped it open, taking a drink immediately as Soonyoung unpackaged the chicken. “Will you tell me what happened tomorrow?” Soonyoung asked as Jihoon took another sip.

He nodded silently. “But not tonight,” he replied in a soft voice. Soonyoung knew better than to pry but he also knew Jihoon really well. Well enough to know that the younger man had been crying for probably most of the day. Soonyoung reached across the kitchen island, grabbing the can of beer from Jihoon and pulled it away. He then grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and set it in front of his friend.

“Drink the water first,” Soonyoung said, nodding towards the bottle. “Then you can have your beer.”

Jihoon unscrewed the cap of the bottle, glaring at Soonyoung as he did so. Satisfied when his friend downed half the bottle, Soonyoung returned the can and started opening the chicken containers.

The front door opened and both men looked up as Seungcheol arrived, struggling to keep the door open as he stumbled in, flecks of white littering his coat and hair. “It’s snowing!” he exclaimed as he looked up and saw both staring at him. In one hand he carried a 6 pack of beer and in the other, a togo bag with no doubt more chicken. Seungcheol looked at the food on the counter and laughed.

“I guess it's a beer and chicken kind of night!”

“No, no, no!” Soonyoung said, shaking his head, forcing down a smile as Jihoon and Seungcheol stared at him incredulously. “It’s not the Lion King!” Soonyoung added angrily as he lifted the small note in his hand. Seungcheol glared at him angrily. “There’s no way it’s not the Lion King! I’ve seen that movie hundreds of times, I’m telling you it’s the Lion King!” he roared, hand slapping the counter as Jihoon cackled loudly, lifting his third can of beer to down the rest.

“It’s not!” Soonyoung yelled. Jihoon waved his hand at the two. “You’re-” he was cut off by a burp. “Ugh,” Jihoon groaned before returning to the conversation. “You’re gonna get us in trouble. Stop. Yelling.” Soonyoung narrowed his eyes at Jihoon. “Are you drunk?” he asked. Jihoon rolled his eyes. Or attempted to. His head moved in the same motion, almost as if he was exaggerating the motion.

Only he didn’t realize he was doing it.

Seungcheol watched the spectacle before letting out a laugh. “He’s so drunk right now,” he laughed. Soonyoung clicked his tongue, taking the now empty can from Jihoon. Upon realizing it was empty, he tossed it and immediately his hands shot out to stop Jihoon from grabbing another.

“You’ve had enough!” Soonyoung growled, wrestling the can from his friend who whined loudly.

“Come on!” Jihoon protested. Soonyoung shook his head, pulling the case away. “No,” he answered.

“You’re cut off!”

Jihoon picked up a napkin, wadded it up and threw it at Soonyoung. “My ghost girlfriend doesn’t recognize me now that she’s not a ghost!” he blurted out. “I think I’m allowed another beer!”

Both Soonyoung and Seungcheol hesitated mid action to look up as Jihoon grumbled to himself, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting like a child. Soonyoung glanced over to meet Seungcheol’s gaze before turning back to look at Jihoon. Soonyoung cleared his throat, leaning against the counter as Seungcheol sat up a little straighter.

“What’s this about Y/N not recognizing you?” Soonyoung asked, drawing Jihoon’s attention. “She doesn’t recognize me. Which means she probably doesn’t recognize either of you,” he said, blinking slowly. Soonyoung looked at Seungcheol who looked back before speaking.

“Are you sure she didn’t recognize you?” the older man asked. Jihoon turned his head to study Seungcheol. “I’m sure. Jihyo asked her ‘do you recognize him?’ And she shook her head! The nerve! I confessed my feelings to her this morning and she now doesn’t recognize me!” Jihoon scoffed, he leaned forward and grabbed another can in Soonyoung’s momentary lapse in attention. Just as quickly, Soonyoungwas on him, trying to wrestle the can away.

Seungcheol was about to join in when Jihoon’s phone started buzzing on the counter. He grabbed it while the two were distracted and answered it, not bothering to read the name on the ID.

“Hello?”

There was a brief pause before the caller answered. “Is this Jihoon?”

It was a woman’s voice. Seungcheol frowned and pulled the phone back to look at the screen. The name read Jihyo. His eyes widened as he brought the phone back to his ear. “Oh sorry!” Seungcheol said softly, getting up from his seat as Jihoon and Soonyoung’s wrestling match moved to the floor. “This is his roommate. I’m Seungcheol.”

“Well, where is Jihoon?”

Seungcheol glanced down at the floor where Soonyoung had managed to pull the can from Jihoon’s hands but now Jihoon was biting Soonyoung’s arm. “Uh.. he can’t come to the phone right now. He’s… wrestling.”

There was a brief pause before Jihyo spoke.

“Wrestling?” she deadpanned. “Yeah,” Seungcheol answered. “It’s a long story. Is there a message I can pass on for you?” Jihyo was silent for a bit more as Soonyoung screamed in pain and tried to fight Jihoon off him. “Uh… can you just tell him I’m working on what I told him earlier? Tell him Y/N is more lucid and I’m going to keep my promise.”

Without another word, Jihyo hung up and Seungcheol pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it in confusion. Jihoon looked up and noticed his phone in Seungcheol’s hand. “What are you doing?” he asked suddenly and scrambled to get up but not before lightly kicking Soonyoung and taking the can of beer for the win.

“Your phone was ringing so I answered it,” Seungcheol answered, holding the device out when Jihoon silently asked for it. “Who was it?”

“It was…” Seungcheol trailed off, contemplating if he should tell Jihoon. “Jihyo,” he finally answered, deciding lying wouldn’t look good. Jihoon perked up visibly. “What? Jihyo? Are you sure? What did she say?”

Seungcheol held up his hand. “She said to tell you that Y/N is more lucid, that she’s going to keep her promise, and that she’s working on what she told you earlier,” he answered, repeating what Jihyo had said to him. Jihoon frowned, not looking exactly at Seungcheol before glancing down at his phone.

“What’s she talking about?” Soonyoung asked breathlessly and getting up. Jihoon said nothing, instead handing the unopened can to Soonyoung and then turning around and wordlessly leaving the room. Seungcheol and Soonyoung watched him until he disappeared into his room, the door shutting with a soft click. Soonyoung glanced at Seungcheol. “What just happened?” the younger man asked.

Seungcheol shook his head, staring at the end of the hall where Jihoon had disappeared.

“I have no idea,” he answered. “But we’ll find out tomorrow.”

The next morning, Jihoon woke up with a raging headache. He was tangled up in his bedding, hair sticking up in all directions as he opened one eye. Sunlight filtered into his room from the window and he lifted his head, squinting as he looked around for his phone which he found plugged in on his bedside table. He grabbed the device and checked the screen.

It was just past eleven in the morning. He’d slept in later than he intended. Getting up, Jihoon managed to untangle his legs as he pulled himself from his bed. He rushed into his bathroom to do his business. Once he was done, he headed out into the hallway where the smell of breakfast and coffee greeted him.

Following his nose, he ambled into the kitchen where Soonyoung sat at the island already dressed for the day and sipping on his coffee. Seungcheol was standing at the range, chopsticks in hand as he made an omelet. “Morning,” Seungcheol said softly as Jihoon walked over to the coffee maker to fix himself a cup. “You sure slept late,” Seungcheol addressed him.

“Rough night?”

Jihoon turned to glare at Soonyoung over his shoulder. “Shut up,” he snapped before turning to the coffee pot. Soonyoung didn’t take it personally. Jihoon was often grumpy in the mornings but add in a hangover and whatever happened at the hospital last night to the mix and he was bound to snap.

“Look,” Seungcheol said as he plated the omelet and set the plate in front of Soonyoung who thanked him with a “yum,” before digging in. “Obviously something happened yesterday and we don’t know because we weren’t there. You aren’t the only person here who cares about Y/N so start talking,” the older man said, turning to Jihoon and pointing at him with the chopsticks.

Jihoon glared at him as well prompting Seungcheol to come up with a threat.

“Talk or make your own omelet.”

Jihoon grumbled as he moved to sit at the kitchen island, leaving a seat between him and Soonyoung.

“Fine,” Jihoon said as the pair stared at him. “Fine, I’ll talk.”

Half an hour later, Jihoon was finishing his omelet as Seungcheol plated his own.

“Honestly, I don’t know how the rules work,” Seungcheol said as he picked up his chopsticks and started to eat. “None of us knows how any of this works. So let’s just trust that Jihyo will handle it. And who knows,” he added, taking another bite of omelet. “Maybe Y/N’s memories of living here will come back to her!”

Jihoon said nothing but nodded nonetheless. It was normal for Seungcheol to be the optimistic one out of the three of them although Soonyoung was generally optimistic as well. Soonyoung, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke. “What if we visited her?”

Jihoon rolled his eyes. “You think her memories will come back just cause she sees us?” Jihoon snapped angrily. “If that was the case, don’t you think her memories would have come back when she saw me standing in her hospital room?”

Seungcheol swallowed his food before interjecting. “Don’t be nasty,” he said sternly. “She was just waking up,” Soonyoung reasoned. “She wasn’t fully there.” Seungcheol nodded towards Soonyoung.

“He’s got a point. And Jihyo said she was more lucid last night. Maybe before she was still fuzzy because her soul had just jumped back into her body. Maybe now, she’ll be more receptive.”

Jihoon said nothing, processing their words instead. It was a valid point to make. He was just mad that he didn’t make it yesterday when he was sobbing in his car. “It’s worth trying,” Seungcheol added while Soonyoung nodded persistently. Jihoon again said nothing. Maybe they were wrong. Maybe you’d never remember the things that happened when you weren’t in your body.

But maybe… just maybe they were right.

You sighed heavily as you watched Jihyo get ready, pouring her coffee into a travel mug. 

“I miss having a job,” you said softly as you watched her bustle about. Jihyo snorted as she grabbed her toast. “If it were me, I’d love not having to get up every morning and go to work,” she said. She no longer glanced at you as if your coma was some sensitive subject and you were both able to make light of the situation. Once you were deemed fit to leave the hospital, Jihyo insisted you move in with her. She had a nice apartment downtown close to the hospital where you’d have to go for your check ups on your road to recovery.

She had converted the den into your room, apologizing that there was no closet. You assured her it was okay. All of your things had either been donated or taken to your parents place in the country. All your clothes were there and your parents had sent you some of your money they’d put in a savings account for if you woke up again. 

It was all prepared carefully. 

You were able to use that money to buy some essentials and some clothes as well. Jihyo had also taken you to get a new phone and number as your parents had canceled your previous plan. You were fully set up minus your things from home within the week from being discharged.

Since you’d lost your job after the accident, you were now unemployed again and had taken to doing the household chores to earn your keep, despite Jihyo telling you not to worry about it. It had been two weeks since you left and you were starting to get bored. You needed a job.

So after Jihyo left, you got dressed and ready to go out and hunt for a job. Even if it was a part time job, you needed something to get you out of the house and keep you from going insane.

After trying several ads in the paper you’d seen, you found yourself stopping outside a cute cafe and glanced up beside it at the highrise building it was nestled into the base of. It was clearly some kind of office building and you decided to go in and see what businesses were there. Hopefully find a place you might be able to snag a job.

With your little notebook and pen in hand, you started to scribble down the names of the various firms and corporations as workers moved around you, not noticing you as they arrived for work. You were halfway down the list when the security guard approached you.

“Can I help you find something, miss?” he asked. You turned to look at him, noticing he was a kind looking older man. You smiled at him. “Sorry,” you said softly. “I probably look really suspicious,” you added, prompting him to tilt his head at you. “I just got discharged from the hospital a couple weeks ago and I’m looking for work,” you explained.

“What were you doing in the hospital?” the guard asked. “I was in a coma for ten months,” you answered, chuckling at the shocked expression on his face. “I fell down the stairs at my old apartment building,” you continued. “Fell into a coma at the hospital and just finally woke up.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your accident but glad you’re still with us,” the guard said with a kind smile. “If I may,” he added, stepping forward to point to a name on the directory. “I know this place is looking for some assistants. Mainly to help with filing and other clerical work,” he explained.

You jotted down the name before smiling up at the directory and then turning to beam at him. “Thank you very much!” you replied happily. “I can let you up to see the receptionist. They can direct you where to go to fill out an application and you could turn in a resume if you have one on you.” 

You nodded quickly. “That would be so helpful, thank you!”

The security guard walked you to the elevators and once you were on, he pressed the button for the eleventh floor and told you where to turn and which suite to go to. You thanked him and were on your way up. The small crowd in the elevator thinned out as the lift rose up further until you were the last on the elevator when it arrived at the eleventh floor, doors opening with a ding.

You stepped out of the lift and looked around for the suite number the guard had told you. ‘Eleven-eighty-two.’ Your eyes were met with texture glass windows framed with black steel and a matching door with black painted letters at the top that read one one eight two. At eye level were the words “MM&C Management Firm.” You pulled open the door and stepped inside where you were greeted by a small white desk and a very pretty young woman who sat behind it.

“Hi,” she said as you approached, giving you a warm and friendly smile. “How can I help you?”

“So, I just got out of the hospital a couple weeks ago and I’m looking for work. The security guard downstairs told me this firm might be looking for help with clerical work?”

The woman smiled at you and turned to pull open a desk. “Here,” she said softly as she pulled out a small paper packet and set it on the top of the desk. “Fill that out and bring it back. I will make sure it gets to the right person,” she added with a wink. You smiled and looked around. “Any chance I could fill it out here?” you asked softly. “I’m not in any hurry,” you added.

The receptionist pulled out a pen and handed it to you. “Take your time,” she said and gestured for you to pull up a chair next to her desk and fill out the application.

You were impressed by the volume of questions and how thorough the application was. It took you several minutes to fill out and when you were finished, you handed it back to the receptionist with a copy of your resume. She promised to get it to the read of human resources as soon as possible and that most likely she’d hear back within the week. You thanked her one last time and headed out of the office feeling more confident than before as you pushed the elevator call button.

Back out on the street, you decided to stop by the cafe and grab a coffee and maybe a muffin as you hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. You made your way through the busy sidewalk as you headed for the door before bumping into someone. The motion caused you to spin 180 degrees as you collided with the man.

Looking up, your eyes met his and you noticed how they widened. His lips parted and he stared at you in what you could only assume was shock. “I’m so sorry,” you said, bowing politely. He stood unmoving, staring at you. “I should have been watching where I was going,” you added. Still he did not move.

You were starting to get worried when a familiar face strode up beside the shocked man.

“Soonyoung,” he said, grabbing the man’s shoulder and giving him a slight shake. “You’re staring,” the man whispered. It was the same man from your hospital room. The one Jihyo had asked if you recognized. He managed to pull his friend, Soonyoung out of his trance. He whispered something to Soonyoung before turning to give you an apologetic look.

“I’m so sorry,” he said softly. “He’s…” he trailed off. “Uh. Yeah. Sorry again.”

Before you could say anything else, the two left, the man pulling his friend along and out of sight.

You weren’t sure what it was but something was familiar about Soonyoung. You couldn’t tell what. You knew you’d never seen him before but the feeling you got when you saw him felt oddly… comforting.

After getting your coffee and muffin you continued about your day, applying at various firms and dropping off your resume until you returned home to shower before Jihyo got home.

As you were starting dinner, Jihyo arrived. She changed out of her work clothes and joined you in the kitchen as you were putting dinner in the oven. She moved over to the fridge to grab a bottle of wine and two glasses before asking how your day was. You told her about your job hunt, thanking her for the glass before setting it down and looking up at her.

“I saw him again,” you said suddenly. Jihyo looked at you. “Saw who?”

“That man from my hospital room. I saw him today while I was looking for jobs.”

Jihyo’s eyebrows raised. “Really?” she asked before taking another sip of wine. “Where at?”

You explained about the highrise building you’d visited and went up to fill out an application. How the security guard had been very nice and told you where to look. You minced on the details of the place in favor of explaining what happened after you left the building.

“I bumped into this guy,” you continued, staring at your glass of wine. Jihyo had already almost finished her glass and was watching you intently. “Oh?” she asked. “Was he cute?” You didn’t miss the way she wiggled her eyebrows at you, prompting you to roll your eyes. “Not the point, Ji,” you answered.

Jihyo’s eyebrows shot up. “So he was cute!”

You waved your hand, trying to dismiss this part of the conversation. “Again, not the point! What is the point is that he was friends with the man from the hospital,�� you added. Jihyo nodded, downing the rest of her wine. “Jihoon,” she said suddenly, pulling you from your thoughts just as you were sinking.

You looked up quickly. “What?” you whispered as she moved around the island to the fridge, grabbing the wine to refill her glass. “His name is Jihoon,” Jihyo explained. “The man from the hospital. Lee Jihoon.” You turned away from her as the name rolled around in your head like clothes in the dryer.

‘Jihoon? Why does that seem so familiar?’ you asked yourself. ‘And his friend. Soonyoung, he was familiar, too.’ You looked up as Jihyo returned to her seat, picking up her wine. “Tell me about the accident again,” you said suddenly.

Jihyo coughed, setting her wine back down and placing her hand over her mouth as she tried to cough up the wine she accidentally inhaled. “We’ve been over this, Y/N,” she explained.

“You fell at the old apartment. The elevator was out of service and you must have been late for work. One of the tenants on the bottom floor heard your scream and came out to find you at the base of the stairs. He called the paramedics.” You listened intently as Jihyo went over the events again.

It sounded the exact same as the first few times she explained it. “I don’t remember falling,” you whispered. Jihyo grimaced and reached across the countertop to take your hand in hers. “I wouldn’t want to remember falling down an entire flight of stairs, would you?” she asked softly.

Looking up, you met her gaze and finally shook your head. “No, I guess not,” you replied.

Your conversation was interrupted by the timer going off. “Dinner!” Jihyo exclaimed excitedly, getting up and rushing around to grab the oven mitts.

You stepped out of the way as she pulled open the oven door and carefully pulled out the dish, setting it on the counter. “Can we go see it?” you asked as Jihyo pulled off the oven mitts, shutting the door and giving you a perplexed look. “See what?”

“The apartment,” you answered. “I want to see it again. It’s been what? Almost a year since I last saw it.”

Jihyo looked nervous as she turned to face you. “I don’t think that’s possible,” she answered. Your smile fell. “And why not?” Jihyo sighed, turning to open a drawer and produce a spoon for the casserole. “Because!” she retorted. “Someone else lives there now.”

You shrugged as Jihyo started plating the food. “We can tell them what happened!” you pressed. “Tell them we used to live there. Maybe they’ll let us in!”

Jihyo slammed the end of the spoon on the counter top. “Y/N! Just… stop it,” she said, her tone exasperated. “It’s just not possible. Someone else lives there now. Would you want some stranger showing up and wanting to come in here to look around?”

When she put it like that, you saw her point. You hung your head dejectedly. “You’re right,” you whispered. Jihyo set the spoon down and sighed, taking your hand in hers. “I’m sorry I yelled,” she started. “That wasn’t very Cash Money of me.”

You snorted at her comment, a smile spreading across her face as well. “It’s in the past though. There’s nothing left for you there. All your things are gone or at your parents house.”

You nodded again, taking in a deep breath before exhaling. “You’re right,” you said with a firm nod. “No point dwelling in the past,” you continued. “I just feel a pull to go back. I’m sure it’ll pass though,” you said as you picked up your fork and took a bite of the casserole you’d prepared.

Jihyo took a bite as well. The two of you looked at one another before each spitting your food out.

“Pizza?” Jihyo asked to which you nodded, picking up your phone and pulling up the website of the closest pizza place. “Yeah,” you replied softly. “I’m never cooking again.”

---------------------

The following week, you were surprised to receive a call about a position at the MM&C firm you’d applied to. They wanted to schedule an interview and have you come in to meet with HR and that the head of the department would actually be conducting your interview.

You looked up at the same high rise from the other day and smiled nervously. ‘You’ve got this!’ you told yourself before taking your first confident step towards the front door. Once inside you met the gaze of the security guard who smiled at you as you approached his desk. 

“Well, hello again,” he said brightly. “What brings you back?”

“I actually have an interview with someone at MM&C Management,” you explained. He gave you a high five and wished you luck. “You’re gonna knock ‘em dead!” he called as you walked towards the elevator, prompting you to wave at him before stepping onto the elevator.

As the doors were shutting, a hand shot out, stopping the doors and a man entered the elevator, pressing the button for the tenth floor. He gave you a polite smile as the doors shut and the elevator started to climb. You could sense he was glancing at you out of the corner of his eye but you tried to pay him no mind, instead staring at yourself in the reflective surface of the elevator interior.

You’d chosen this dress specifically for this interview, having gone out the day you’d gotten the call to shop for more appropriate attire. Jihyo had to work so she couldn’t be there in person but you sent her pictures of each ensemble and she helped you narrow down your options.

You left with three outfits with shoes and accessories to match. Once Jihyo returned home, she looked over the outfits with you and helped you settle on a cream and black colorblock dress. It was form fitting and the hem stopped just above the knee. With it you’d paired simple black heels that were nice but still comfortable. You’d worn one of Jihyo’s long coats and borrowed a hat and scarf to protect against the cold weather.

The elevator doors dinged and opened, allowing the man off who gave you a smile and a wave. The doors shut before you could return either, not that you particularly wanted to. The ride from the tenth to the eleventh floor lasted all of ten seconds and soon you were stepping off the lift and making your way to suite 1180. You pulled open the doors and were greeted by the same receptionist who beamed as you approached the desk.

“Told you I’d get those papers to the right hands,” she said with a wink. You smiled shyly as she glanced down at her papers. “Miss Y/N, I presume?” she asked, glancing up. You nodded and watched as she pulled out a visitor pass and handed it over. Just have a seat and someone will be here to escort you shortly,” the receptionist said, gesturing to the seats against the wall.

Thanking her, you moved to sit down and now had the chance to actually look around the office. It looked like any other office. Plain walls, plain floors, fluorescent lights, office cubicles. What separated it from most other offices was the openness that came with the large windows and all the natural light.

To your left seemed to be the main office space although it was on the smaller side. You looked to your right and saw a long hallway that led to a black door with three horizontal rectangular windows. As you stared down the hall, a door opened and another woman appeared. She was tall and slim, sporting a plain white blouse with a high neck, cap sleeves that showed off her toned arms. Her shirt was tucked into a khaki pencil skirt with shiny gold button details.

She approached the reception area, her black stilettos silent against the carpet as she walked. Her long black hair was styled into a half updo, soft curls flowing down her back. She stopped as she approached you, prompting you to stand up quickly. “Y/N?” she asked with a smile, a set of dazzling white teeth appearing from behind her soft pink lips.

You nodded wordlessly, bowing when she bowed to you. “Mr. Choi is ready for you,” she said softly. “If you’ll just follow me.” You shot a glance at the receptionist who mouthed a quick ‘good luck’ offering a thumbs up as you followed this well put together woman down the long corridor.

About halfway down, she stopped and opened a door with the words ‘Human Resources’ etched onto textured glass. As she opened the door, she stepped in, gesturing for you to follow. Inside was a smaller office space, much like the one you’d seen before at reception. She led you through the office which, while being on the smaller side, was much different from the office cubicles you’d seen before.

Instead of cubicles, there were walled off spaces with glass. Somewhat private but still not entirely closed off from the rest of the department. At the end of the room was no doubt the head of HR’s office, where you were heading. Counter height windows dominated the wall except for the door which also had a large window. The blinds were half raised but closed completely to give off a private but not isolated vibe.

The woman leading you paused at the door, knocking lightly. A voice rang out, asking the two of you to enter. The door was opened and you peered from closely behind the woman.

“Y/N is here for her interview,” she announced to the man who sat behind the desk. He was ducked behind his PC, typing away. “Perfect,” he said. “Please take her to the conference room and I’ll be with her in just a moment,” he instructed. The woman nodded, pulling the door shut and smiling at you, guiding your way to one of the longer office spaces which was currently empty.

A long black wooden table stood in the middle of the room with enough chairs to seat ten people which seemed to be all that worked in this department from what you saw. “Mr. Choi will be right with you,” the secretary said. “You’re welcome to have any of the refreshments from the fridge,” she added, gesturing to a fridge in the corner.

You thanked her and just like that, you were alone.

Seungcheol finished the email he’d been working on before sending it and stretching. ‘Thank god that’s over,’ he mused as he shut down his computer and got up, grabbing his phone and checking the time. He slipped the device into his pocket afterwards and headed out of his office, stopping by his secretary’s desk as he exited his office. “Do you have that file for me?” he asked softly.

His secretary smiled, pulling open the top drawer of her desk and handed it to him. “Perfect,” he said with a grin. “Thank you, Hana.” 

Taking the file, Seungcheol headed for the meeting room, looking over the file. He stopped in his tracks as he read the name on the application. “Y/N?” he breathed. ‘It couldn’t be, right?’

He looked up from the papers and into the meeting room, his eyes widening and heart skipping into his throat at the same time his stomach dropped into his shoes.

It was you.

He froze in place, unable to move or speak as he watched you sitting behind the glass. You obviously looked quite different from what he was accustomed to but there was no mistake. It was you.

Your hair was a little different and you weren’t wearing the same outfit he saw you in day in and day out.

You were corporeal. Living, breathing. There was color to your complexion. A natural glow to your skin. And makeup. There was makeup. It was almost surreal seeing you in this state when he’d been used to seeing you the other way for so long. He managed to regain his composure and started walking towards the door, pulling it open carefully.

He’d have to make a mental note of this to tell Jihoon and Soonyoung later.

“Hi,” Seungcheol said as he shut the door. You stood quickly, bowing respectfully as he did the same before moving to sit adjacent to you. “I hope you don’t mind me sitting here,” he said as he set a folder, no doubt your file, on the table. “I find sitting so far down at the head of the table informal and really awkward. I almost have to yell all my questions,” he added.

You smiled back at him, nodding silently. “Okay, so,” Seungcheol started. “I’ve gone over your application and your resume so I’m not going to waste your time with the information on that. Tell me a little about yourself,” he said, hoping to use this opportunity to get to know you a little more.

You looked taken aback but got right into it.

“Well, I’m returning to work. I’ve been unemployed for ten months,” you explained. Seungcheol leaned in as you explained about the accident, your fall down the stairs that landed you in a coma for ten months. He’d heard this story from Jihoon already but didn’t interrupt.

“I figured it’s time to return to work. I moved in with my best friend after the hospital discharged me but I’m starting to feel like a burden. I want to help out.” Seungcheol nodded as he listened.

“And what about your family? Do they live in the city?”

You shook your head. “No, they live in the country. I would have moved back home with them except that my doctor is here and it’s better for my check ups to stay close to the city center. I haven’t been approved to drive yet so I actually live very close,” you explained.

Seungcheol nodded, looking down at the paper, eyes scanning the sheet.

“Well, you’re more than qualified for the job and you have excellent references,” he stated before looking up. “I’m not one of those people who asks why you want to work for us. I can guess that the location is convenient for you and that you need a job. Otherwise you wouldn’t apply, am I correct?”

You nodded silently. “Is this line of work similar to your previous job?” he asked, not looking away as you nodded. “Well,” you cut yourself off. “Sort of. I was a paralegal before,” you added.”Which is fancy for ‘lawyer secretary and assistant,’” you continued with a chuckle.

“But I have a lot of clerical experience.”

Seungcheol smiled and nodded. “Your resume and application definitely tells that tale. It also tells me that you’re a loyal employee with several years of clerical work under her belt at the same firm.”

He glanced down and shut the folder, looking back up. “There shouldn’t be any reason why we wouldn’t hire you,” he added. “I’m supposed to tell you to expect a call back within a week but don’t be surprised if you hear back tomorrow or the day after,” he added, standing up.

You followed suit as he grabbed the folder and gestured to the door. “I’ll walk you out,” he added, pulling open the meeting room door and allowing you to leave first. He followed you to the office door that led into the hallway and walked you down to reception. 

“Did you have any questions for me?” he asked, looking up as you walked.

“Uh,” you hesitated. “I don’t think so, actually.”

“Well, if you happen to come across any questions you’d like to ask me,” he started as the two of you stopped. “Don’t hesitate to reach out.”

He handed you a card with his name and number on it. “That number is my office number but under it is my personal cell. You can also always reach me by email.”  You took the card, thanking him for his time with a bow. He returned the gesture. “Thank you for coming by and I hope to see you again soon,” he added. You thanked him again and he watched as you headed towards the door and out of sight.

‘What are the odds?’

Soonyoung reiterated his sentiment later that night as Seungcheol recounted the interview and his interaction with Y/N. Jihoon was surprisingly silent as Seungcheol and Soonyoung chatted.

“Is she qualified for the position?” he asked, lifting his glass to his lips. Seungcheol nodded, chewing his food thoughtfully. “More than qualified. It’s simple clerical work. She used to be a paralegal,” he answered, drawing both Soonyoung and Jihoon’s attention.

“She did?” Soonyoung asked. Seungcheol nodded. “She’s perfect for the position.”

Jihoon said nothing, taking another sip of his drink. Soonyoung noticed Seungcheol’s gaze shift ever so slightly to look at the youngest of the group. “It feels weird though,” Seungcheol continued. Jihoon looked up from his food.

“What does?”

Seungcheol didn’t meet his gaze. “Being in control of her career like this. It feels… I don’t know…” Seungcheol trailed off as he tried to find the right words. “Wrong. It feels wrong.” Jihoon snorted, returning his attention to his food. “If she’s qualified for the position, or overqualified as you’ve indicated, then it can’t be helped. It’s not like she knows who you are,” he added.

“We don’t control where she applies. It’s not like we told her where to go nor are you pulling any strings to get her in.” Seungcheol watched as Jihoon continued to eat.

The younger man looked up, finally meeting his gaze. Jihoon merely shrugged at him.

“It’s a coincidence.”

You flopped down onto your bed, letting out a sigh. Your shower felt nice. Like you were washing away your worries for the day. It had been a couple days since your interview at MM&C Management and you’d had a couple other interviews but none of those had made you feel as at ease as Mr. Choi at MM&C. You couldn’t shake the feeling that you knew him though you knew you didn’t.

He wasn’t familiar. At least not his face. But the way you felt around him was comforting. He was comforting. It was almost the same kind of feeling you got around Soonyoung the other day outside the high rise. How could two strangers’ presences feel so… comforting?

It made no sense to you.

You were pulled from your thoughts by the ringing of your phone. Without sitting up, you reached for the device and checked the screen. It was an unknown number. You answered it hesitantly.

“Hello?”

“Hello, is this Y/N?” asked a voice. ‘Wait, that voice sounds familiar!’

“It is,” you answered.

“This is Hana from MM&C Management. We met just before your interview the other day.”

The woman with the long black hair came into your mind’s eye. ‘Of course!’

You sat up quickly. “Y-yes! Hello!” you said, attempting and failing to keep your voice calm. Excitement was written all over your face.

“I have Mr. Choi on the line, he would like to speak with you,” Hana explained. “O-of course!” you replied, waiting for the line to switch.

“Hello? Y/N?” His voice brought with it a soothing comfort and you were able to relax a bit. “Hello, Mr. Choi,” you replied. You heard him chuckle over the line. “Seungcheol is fine,” he retorted. “Mr. Choi is my father.” You let out a nervous chuckle. “Of course, sorry. Seungcheol. How can I help you?”

“Well, for starters, you can accept this offer of employment. That would really make my superiors happy,” he said, that same amused tone in his voice. “So, what do you say, Y/N? Feel like joining MM&c Management?” Your heart pounded in your chest as he spoke.

Before you had time to process or think your lips parted.

“Count me in.”

The call ended after Seungcheol had gone over as many of the details he was authorized over the phone to do so. For the rest, you would have to come in for orientation and finalize everything by signing some paperwork which was scheduled for the following Monday.

You heard the front door open and got up quickly, scrambling out of the den door to meet Jihyo as she entered the apartment. She looked at you with a peculiar expression as she set some takeout on the counter. “What on earth has gotten into you?” she asked, trying to suppress her laughter.

“Please tell me you have another bottle of wine,” you started as she untied the black plastic bags and started to pull out the food. “I do,” she said hesitantly. “Why?”

You beamed at her as you moved to sit at the kitchen counter.

“Break out the wine,” you announced. “This bitch just got herself a job!”

Filling out paperwork and signing proved to be just as taxing as you remembered but Seungcheol made the process as smooth as possible, explaining everything in the simplest terms he could.

After what felt like two hours of paperwork and signing, your picture was taken for your new work badge, and next came the tour. Not only did Seungcheol take you through the suite, showing you each department, but he also took you to a couple other floors where the firm worked closely with the others.

You learned of the twenty floors in the building, five of them were associated with MM&C. He also showed you where the employee cafeteria was located and promised that the food was well worth it. You were then shown to your workstation. You were not going to be working on the eleventh floor with him but instead you were on the nineteenth. You’d be doing clerical work and errands for the secretarial staff on that floor. 

It didn’t take you long to fit into the staff and get into the swing of things and even though you weren’t working on the same floor as Seungcheol, you surprisingly made a lot of trips down to human resources for your clerical work. It was nice to see his comforting face occasionally when you came to drop off files and got to chat for a bit.

Lunch was another time you got to visit with him, eating in the cafeteria and talking about more than just work. Seungcheol was easy to talk to and you really enjoyed talking to him.

So when he didn’t show up for lunch one day, you wondered if he was okay. You hadn’t seen him all day, your tasks keeping you moving from floor to floor except for the eleventh. You were picking up some files that needed to be scanned and digitized on the fifth floor when you ran into him.

Lee Jihoon. The elevator opened and the two of you made eye contact. He visibly tensed as his eyes met yours. You offered him a polite smile and stepped onto the elevator. The atmosphere between the two of you was tense. Something unspoken between the two of you but you couldn’t discern what.

Jihoon on the other hand knew exactly what it was.

Sexual tension. He’d never experienced it with you. It had never been very tense between the two of you before you woke up, so he didn’t have much to go off but he’d felt sexual tension plenty of times in his life. And elevators had a way of bringing it out in people.

“How have you been?”

Your voice was so soft that if this was the sort of building to play elevator music, Jihoon is certain he would have missed your question. Instead, he heard it crystal clear. It dawned on him that this was the first time he was hearing your voice since you woke up.

He turned to glance at you. ‘How have you been?’ It was such a simple question but he couldn’t answer it right away. Not the way he wanted to. ‘How have I been?’

Truthfully, he’s been better but rather than telling you that, he came up with a bullshit answer. Hopefully you couldn’t read him as well as you could before. “I’m alright,” he answered, surprised by the softness of his own voice. “I remember you,” you said suddenly, making his heart skip a beat.

“From the hospital,” you added. His heart slowly sank back into its usual position. ‘Of course.’

“Ah,” he said simply. A beat of silence fell over the two of you before you spoke again.

“Why were you there?” Jihoon hadn’t been prepared for this question. In all honesty, he hadn’t been prepared to see or speak to you ever again so he wasn’t sure how to answer it. Deciding vagueness had always been his strong suit, he tapped into that.

“It’s… complicated.” You tilted your head, like a puppy does upon hearing its own name.

“Complicated how?” god you sounded so child-like and innocent. How could he possibly begin to even explain it? There was no easy way to do it, not without sounding like a total nutcase.

“I… can’t really explain it,” he finally settled on. Was it a lame answer? Of course. Did you deserve a better answer? Absolutely. So why couldn’t he give you one? Perhaps because he was a coward.

The elevator dinged, pulling both of you from your thoughts and the unaddressed tension as the doors opened. Jihoon stepped forward without another word. “It was nice seeing you- oh! Seungcheol!” you said as the man in question appeared.

Seungcheol turned to find both you and Jihoon. “You didn’t come to lunch today,” you noted, a hint of sadness to your voice. Jihoon felt his stomach sink and his blood start to boil as he turned his head slowly to look at Seungcheol who offered a sheepish smile. “Sorry, Y/N,” he said.

“I made plans with a friend for lunch,” he said, clapping Jihoon on the shoulder.

The shock on your face was evident in the way your brows rose and your lips parted.

It looked as if you hadn’t known Jihoon and Seungcheol were friends and Jihoon would have to give the older man a piece of his mind about eating lunch with you.

Seungcheol gestured for Jihoon to go ahead of him. “Sorry again, Y/N,” he said with a smile. “Maybe tomorrow?” You nodded, the smile returning to your face. “It was nice seeing you again, Jihoon!” you called, noticing how Jihoon visibly stiffened before turning to look back at you. “You, too,” he replied softly.

You watched as they disappeared past the suite door and stepped back to allow the elevator doors to shut. ‘So they’re friends, too?’ you wondered as the elevator started to ascend to the nineteenth floor. You crossed your arms over your chest, holding the folders of papers to be scanned close to you, almost hugging it. Just how many people in your life were he friends with?

As soon as the door to his office shut, Seungcheol expected Jihoon to pounce but instead the younger man sat down and glared at him. He glared but said nothing until Seungcheol couldn’t take it anymore.

“Will you at least yell at me or something?” he asked. Jihoon shook his head silently.

“Are you seeing her or something?” he finally asked. Seungcheol was so shocked by his question that his jaw actually dropped. “You honestly think I’d do that to you?” Seungcheol asked incredulously. “I know how you feel about her. You really think I would just swoop in and steal her from you?”

Jihoon sighed heavily, leaning forward to hide his face in his hands. “No,” he groaned before sitting back. “No I don’t.” Seungcheol nodded slowly. “Well good. Cause I wouldn’t. You’re one of my best friends, Ji. I wouldn’t dream of hurting you like that.”

“Why are you eating lunch with her? How often have you been doing that?”

Seungcheol hesitated for a moment. “For a while. Since she started. I wanted to make sure she was comfortable and she had a familiar face around,” he answered. “It might make it a lot easier.”

Jihoon narrowed his eyes. “Might make what a lot easier?” he asked. Seungcheol sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I thought that if she and I spent some time together, even in a work setting, we’d become friends and then through me, she could meet you again. Maybe it might trigger some memories or something!” Seungcheol explained as Jihoon groaned and got up, beginning to pace.

“Did you hire her specifically to do this?” Jihoon asked angrily. “What?” Seungcheol asked, looking indignant. “No? I didn’t hire her! I just do the interviews!”

Jihoon groaned and turned to face the office door. He pressed his fingers against his temple on either side of his head. “This has to stop,” Jihoon said softly before turning to look at his friend. “We can’t interfere with her life. We have to move on.” Seungcheol’s expression morphed into one of sadness.

He knew where Jihoon was coming from and he understood it but he also felt there was something more to this. Like you were meant to be in their lives still. If Jihoon was willing to give up that was fine, but he wasn’t. Not yet.

“I’m sorry,” Seungcheol said softly. “I should have told you from the start.” Jihoon shook his head. “It’s okay. I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions and accusing you of being a bad friend.” Seungcheol smiled at him. “So,” he said, leaning forward.

“You wanna get sushi?”

The entire rest of your day at work was hell. You were distracted and couldn’t focus on anything. All you could think about was why Jihoon was there. Had he and Seungcheol been friends all along? Was he following you? Just who was he? As you gathered your things at the end of your shift and headed to the elevator, you knew just who to ask to get your answers.

Jihyo was already home when you got there, dinner in the oven as she poured two glasses of wine. She wanted to celebrate your first week of work at your new job. As you entered, she welcomed you home cheerfully, smile fading as she watched you hastily tear off your hat and coat, tossing them on the bench by the front door before slipping your shoes off. 

“You have a lot to answer for, Seo Jihyo,” you said angrily as you stormed over. Jihyo shrank against the kitchen counter. “Wh-what are you-”

“Who the fuck is Jihoon and why does he know the guy who hired me? Why is he everywhere? Why was he in my hospital room when I woke up?”

Jihyo stared at you, eyes wide. “I-I…” she stammered, trailing off. “Tell me now or I swear to god-”

Jihyo held out her hands. “Okay, okay!” she said quickly. “I’ll tell you but you have to listen to everything I say and wait until I’m done before you speak.”

You narrowed your eyes at her before moving to sit at the kitchen island, grabbing your glass of wine and downing half of it in one go. “Talk.”

Jihyo sighed before launching into explanation. She explained how she met Jihoon. How he contacted her to ask about your accident. He was under the impression you had died. Before you could interrupt, Jihyo explained that Jihoon, Seungcheol, and Soonyoung were the new tenants of your old apartment.

Jihoon wanted to know details about your death because he and the others were experiencing… supernatural activity. They were convinced it was your ghost. Upon hearing this, you had a sudden flash, a memory, of you standing in the apartment, surrounded by furniture that did not belong to you.

You snapped out of it as Jihyo continued. “So when he called me and asked for details about your death I told him you weren’t dead. You were in a coma. He asked if he could meet me and at first, I was hesitant but I agreed. He was adamant he’d seen your spirit. Spoken to it. Had full conversations with you. I thought he was crazy,” Jihyo laughed, downing the rest of her wine before pouring another glass.

“But then he started to tell me things about you. Things he couldn’t have known. That was when I started to believe him.” She continued on, telling how Jihoon came to the hospital to see you. The day you woke up and that he somehow managed to wake you up. “He had said he wanted to try,” she said with a far off look in her eyes.

“And they live in our old building?” you asked. She nodded, closing her eyes. You sat silently as you made up your mind. It sounded ridiculous but then again, you couldn’t shake the unmistakable feeling you got around Soonyoung or the comfort of Seungcheol. Even the unaddressed tension between you and Jihoon in the elevator.

And there was only one way to know for sure.

You got up from the island, walking to the door. Jihyo sat up. “Where are you going?” she asked as you slid on your shoes and pulled on your coat. “To our old apartment,” you said simply, pulling on your hat and gloves, wrapping your scarf around your neck. “You can’t!” Jihyo protested.

You turned to her. “Don’t try to stop me, Jihyo,” you warned. “I have to do this. I need answers.”

Jihyo stared at you blankly. “I just gave them to you,” she replied. “No,” you started, turning to face her.

“I know but I need more answers. Ones you can’t give me. I need answers from…” you trailed off.

“From Jihoon.” Jihyo finished your sentence for you. “Yeah,” you nodded. “From Jihoon.”

You pulled open the door and stepped out into the hall.

You barely knew how to get to your old apartment from where you were but you knew you’d manage. You had your phone after all. You could just look up the directions. 

Once you were gone, Jihyo ran to the kitchen, snatching her phone off the counter and started scrolling until she found what she was looking for. She pressed the little green button and waited for an answer while it rang. After a couple rings, someone picked up.

Jihoon had just arrived home and was the first one there. Seungcheol had gone out for drinks with coworkers and Soonyoung had left for the weekend to stay with his parents. He’d finished dinner early and was cleaning up when his phone vibrated on the counter. He dried his hands and picked up the device, reading the name Jihyo flash across the screen.

He answered it, confusion rampant on his face and in his voice.

“Jihyo?” he asked. “Why are you-”

“I told her.” Those three simple words were enough to send Jihoon’s heart into a panic. ‘Told her? Told her what?’ He cleared his throat. “Wh-what did you tell her?” he asked, deciding context was important. “Everything,” Jihyo whispered on the other end. “I told her everything. She’s on her way there now. She needs more answers. Answers I can’t give her.”

Jihoon’s heart pounded in his chest. ‘She’s on her way? She’s coming here?’ He licked his lips and looked around quickly. “Uh… okay. I’ll uh… I’ll take care of it.” Jihyo thanked him before hanging up. Jihoon finished cleaning up at record speed.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed between Jihyo’s call and the knock at his door. He walked over to the door, checking his reflection in the mirror before peering through the peephole. You stood on the other side of the door, bundled to the max with tiny flecks of white dusting your clothing.

Jihoon unlocked the door and pulled it open, eyes meeting yours as you turned to look at him. Neither one of you said anything at first until Jihoon finally broke the silence. “You want to come in?” he asked, his voice soft as he stood aside. You thanked him quietly and stepped over the threshold.

Jihoon stood back as you removed your shoes and pulled your hat off your head, stuffing it and your gloves into your coat pockets. Jihoon moved to the kitchen, watching as you started to look around. Your eyes were full of both sadness and curiosity as you scanned your surroundings.

You said nothing as you looked around and took it all in. It was your old apartment but it also wasn’t at the same time. The furniture wasn’t yours but it was familiar all the same. A nagging and pulling at the back of your mind telling you this was home. This was your home. Yet it wasn’t, you told yourself. It was Jihoon’s. It was Seungcheol’s. It was Soonyoung’s. It wasn’t yours anymore.

Without asking, you walked over to the windows looking onto the balcony where you and Jihyo had kept your plants. There were still plants but they weren’t yours. And the chairs weren’t yours either.

As you started to turn away from the balcony, you had a sudden memory. Sitting on the balcony and laughing as the sun came up but it was with Jihyo. It was with…

You turned around to look at Jihoon who was watching you with a guarded expression.

You said nothing, too stunned to speak as you walked through the living room, stopping to look at the living room set. The coffee table brought another memory.

Seungcheol and Soonyoung kneeling around the table with a Ouija board and a dark foreboding presence. You snapped out of it and continued on, passing the main bathroom. The first room you reached was Nari’s. You peered in and saw the furniture was definitely not Nari’s. It was completely different from how you remembered it.

Another memory manifested itself as you peered into the dark room. Sitting in the desk chair and talking to someone who wasn’t Nari. It was Soonyoung. You blinked, the scene fading from in front of you, almost like you were observing it instead of experiencing it.

You continued down the hall, peering into Jihyo’s old room. ‘This must be Seungcheol’s room.’ You decided not to enter as you worked with him and it felt wrong to enter his space like that. Although this whole situation felt wrong, it also felt right. Like you were meant to be here.

You saved your old room for last, pushing the cracked door open and looking into the room. It wasn’t yours anymore but for some reason, it still felt familiar. Like you’d spent enough time here to know that the placement of everything was where it should be. The bed, the desk, all the desk supplies. Everything was in its rightful place.

You walked into the room slowly, looking around, eyes landing on the bed. Walking over cautiously, you sat on the edge, running your palm over the sheets as another memory flashed before your eyes. Late nights lying on this bed, talking to… him. Sitting on it against the wall, watching him work at his desk.

Getting up, you walked over to the desk and looked around the details, everything was where it should be. Finally, you noticed the notepad and reached for it hesitantly. You grabbed it carefully, bringing it up to flip through the pages, your breath catching in your throat as you noticed something.

Your own handwriting.

Little notes to the owner of the desk saying things like “don’t give up!” and “you can do it!” You didn’t realize tears were spilling from your eyes, staining your cheeks until a drop fell onto the notepad page you were looking at.

Setting the pad back down, you exited the room and headed back into the living area where Jihoon was still standing behind the kitchen island. He glanced up as you walked in. Noticing your tear stained cheek, he started to move but hesitated, ultimately deciding against it.

As you looked at Jihoon, another memory made itself known. You were looking at Jihoon, standing in the exact same spot as he sipped on a cup of coffee. He glanced up, smiling at you. You couldn’t remember exactly why but it was a very important day that day.

You remembered very clearly what he said to you. And more importantly, what you said to him.

You cleared your throat, drawing Jihoon’s attention, the memory fading and allowing you to see him standing before you. “I…” your voice trailed off as your words failed you. How could you even begin to explain what you’d just experienced? Lucky for you, Jihoon needed no explanation.

“You remember, don’t you?” he asked softly. You nodded, a soft sob escaping your lips as your knees buckled. Jihoon was quick, rushing to your side as you started forward and caught you, the two of you falling to the wooden floor, kneeling as he pulled you into his arms.

You remembered wanting this more than anything. Wanting him to be able to hold you. To feel you.

The reality of it was surreal. He was holding you. He was holding you. He was holding you.

“Do you remember that last morning?” he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper. You nodded, fresh tears flowing as you looked into his eyes. “Do you remember what I told you?” he asked. Again, you nodded, the words clearer in your mind than anything else.

“And do you remember what you said to me?”

You nodded once more, the tears flowing freely.

“What did I say to you?” Jihoon asked, his eyes looking into yours, brimming with unshed tears.

You took a deep breath.

Instead of answering him, you leaned in, your lips pressing against his. It was as if everything fell into place at that moment. Your life suddenly made sense. All your feelings since waking up made perfect sense; why Jihoon was in your hospital room; why Soonyoung seemed familiar; why you found comfort in Seungcheol’s presence. This is where you belonged. This was your home. Jihoon was your home. 

And it was time to return.

fin.

ⓘ All graphics made by me. Content and support banners made using a template made by cafekitsune. I do not allow reposts, translations, or continuations of my works. All writing and graphics are ©️ kwanisms.

[dunmeshi-darlings]

Hi! Are you new? Love your works btw.

If it's okay. May I please request Marcille ?

Scenario: Her human s/o passes away from old age, leaving her and their grown up kids sad and depressed.

Then, centuries pass, we're now in the modern age. Marcille finds herself working for her reincarnated s/o, who's now a CEO, as their secretary. Unfortunately, s/o doesn't remember their past life.

Hello!! yes i am indeed new, only made my blog just recently, and aWwww thank youu! OOooh first angst ask, and of course its for marcille lol.

As much as she hated it, she always knew this was eventually going to happen, this is perhaps the long lived races greatest curse. That unless you love another long lived race, you will be forced to watch the people you love grow old and die meanwhile you still have centuries ahead of you...This understanding didnt comfort her at all when your time finally came and you passed away. It was all so much of a blur for her...She remembers crying for days on end, heart wrenching sobs would tear through her for hours and hours on end. it felt like she was drowning in this pain, that it was choking her and that it was all consuming. She is lucky to have your and her kids (now grown up) there for her or she may have gone mad with this pain.

Of course while the wounds of loss never truly disappear, they do turn to scars and those scars fade over time. And time (as it is want to do) continued ever onward, the world moved onward and eventually so did marcille. She would always love you no matter what and the memories of you, despite being centuries ago still ache in her chest. However she did eventually relearn to live her life normally, especially with the support of all of your kids. As the world grew and evolved into an age of magical and scientific wonder, she to evolved and grew.

Eventually thanks to Marcilles Centuries of magical studies and experience land her a job that is fitting of somebody of her grand knowledge....as a secretary (even in this world, Years of knowledge and training doesnt mean much to the world of capitalism but i digress). She ends up getting an incredibly well paying career as a secretary for a particularly famous Magical tech company, moving up the ranks and finally getting the promotion to secretary for THE CEO of the company.

On marcilles first day she wanted to make a good impression for the Ceo, she wore her fanciest office dress, made sure she looked as best she did, and had spent the night prior Organizing the CEOs entire schedule ahead of time, that way she would show up to work with an entire days work already done. She wanted to impress them after all.

She did note something odd, Each time she read the CEOs name she couldnt help but feel a soft blush across her face and a warmth in her chest. She wasnt sure what it was and eventually chalked it up to perhaps anxiety getting to her, but something about this feeling felt so familiar to her and she couldnt put her finger on it.

As she walked into the office that day with a stack of paperwork she heard a voice that struck her like lightning. She felt all the blood drain from her face as she dropped all of the papers she had. That voice...oh god that voice...she had almost forgotten what that heavenly voice sounded like...but this was impossible...there was no way. "Woah hey, are you ok? your marcille, the new secretary right? My names Y/N"

The moment Marcille raised her eyes to look at the owner of the all too familiar voice, an all to familiar face greeting her again after centuries. Marcille could feel the tears streaming down her face...there you were....after so many centuries...there you were again...the love of her life... there you were, the same face she vividly remembered centuries ago. The same face she woke up to countless times smiling lovingly at her, the same face she remembered promising to spend there days with, the same face she remembered in there most intimate moments, the same face she remembered crying over as they lowered it into the earth all those centuries ago. She cant help but reach her hands out, wanting to cradle the lover she lost so long ago

However the person takes her hand and helps her stand up, telling her that its ok and there is no need to be so nervous. That you had heard nothing but good things about marcille and that not to let you being the CEO fool her, you are actually quiet down to earth. However marcille shook her head as the tears continued. " Y/N....dont you remember me?....its me...marcille......dont you remember our children...?"

marcille takes your hands in hers and looks up at you, her eyes pleading as you look down at her. Marcille was hoping for something...a spark of revelation, a shout of happiness, a deep embrace...something special.. But her heart shattered when you only looked down at her sadly and shook your head. In this magical world the concept of reincarnation was a well known thing, so you knew that based on this reaction you must have been the reincarnation of Marcilles loved one. "i...im sorry marcille...but no, i dont remember anything..im sorry, i know this must be hard and i wish i could tell you that i remembered everything...but i dont."

Marcille breaks down in sobs, wailing in sorrow..it was like she lost you all over again, but this was so much worse. Before when you died she lost you and it hurt, but she knew that there wasnt anything that could be done. It wasnt like the dungeon, she couldnt have brought you back to life (plus the two of you had agreed for that she wouldnt revive you, that you were old now and when it was your time you wanted to rest.) This was worse though, you were gone but so very close..you were literally standing in front of her, but you may as well have been dead to her. You were now like a specter, a ghost of a happy life long since passed that would haunt her, reminding her of the suffering she felt so long ago, she thought she had finally managed to let you go, Only for this ghost of loves past to remind her every day of the love she lost so long ago.

Though this was the first time you had ever met marcille (atleast in this life) you felt so awful for her, you couldnt imagine what this must have been life. You sink down to your knees and hold her close as she sobbed, you weren't sure if this was making the situation better or worse all things considered...but you knew she needed somebody to be there for her in this moment. you hold her close and let her weep centuries of sorrow in your arms, holding her close as she weakly clings to you, hundreds and hundreds of years of pain finally spilling out as you hold her. This moment feels familiar, holding marcille in your arms feels so familiar to you... if you had any doubts about being the reincarnation of her old lover, this moment thoroughly wiped away all those doubts

Eventually the elf woman's sobbing slows down to a soft weak whimper, you use the spare tissue you have and wipe her face off as you look down at her with a soft smile. "like i said...i dont remember anything about our past together, i am so sorry about that...but, i wouldn't mind getting to know you better, maybe it will spark some old memories...or we can make new ones of our own." you say down to her, causing the elf woman to sniffle and finally smile again, a smile that you couldnt help feel like you had been missing for so long without realizing it. "yeah...that sounds nice"

[twstmemories]

I dont know if you watched frozen fever, but if you do, can I request the first years with a fem s/o who has ice magic/powers and she has a fever/cold, and whenever she sneezes, cute little snowmans appear. Like what do they do or how do they react.

-- ! how to make an appropriate title 101 with naru. while i haven't watched frozen fever, i do get the gist of what it was about and what you want me to do with this request! apologies for the late response, but i hope you like it! // the sole reason why this was kept from my inbox purge was because i was already done with ace and deuce's part.

✧ first years with a s/o who summons tiny snowmen when having a fever

✧ gn!reader

✧ this is an old request, but upon re-reading the entire thing after i was done writing i realized i didn't use a singular pronoun throughout. so we sticking with the gender neutral reader here too HAHA. also not beta-read we die like how i let this blog die for a whole ass year.

✧ Shrieks a tiny bit the first time you sneeze and his head is suddenly freezing cold before seeing a tiny snowman topple down from his head - real confused for a good few minutes after, to the point he actually forgets you're the one that conjured that tiny being up.

✧ Stares at it for a couple of seconds, owlishly blinking at the sentient tiny snowman running around in circles before directing his gaze towards you: "You didn't tell me that your ice magic could also summons snowmen upon you sneezing," he remarks, sounding oddly offended about not knowing that detail.

✧ "N-No," you sniffle, "It usually doesn't happen unless I'm getting a high fever," you wheeze, another sneeze resulting in double the amount of snowmen appearing and Ace just stares trying to figure out what the hell is happening.

✧ He's worried for 0.5 seconds before his more mischievous side comes forward: "Oh, so those come out whenever you sneeze?" he asks, just to clarify his theory - to which you who is just a bit too delirious to notice any hidden motif he has, nod without thinking twice.

✧ Like, he sees that you're fine! You may be running a bit of a high fever soon, but you're still fine! You're going on about your days with tons of tiny snowmen following your trail whenever you sneeze, but other than that you're perfectly fine! He'll do his part as a good boyfriend after he's had a bit of fun seeing this unusual side effect from your magic.

✧ Tries every trick in the book to make you sneeze more often when he finally has you tucked underneath some sheets inside your room. Accidentally claps two books together that have accumulated just a bit too much dust your way? More tiny snowmen. Tingles your noise a tiny bit with a feather out of affection? Even more snowmen, and you want to be mad at him, but he's having this dorky smile on his face with a slight blush as he picks up another snowman. "Sorry, sorry! They're just so cute!"

✧ Deuce is rather ashamed to admit this, but the moment he set his eyes on those little snowmen appearing out of thin air when you first sneezed - the fact that you were running a high fever was forgotten. Completely gone from his mind, every worrying thought about your condition had suddenly vanished from his head.

✧ Over the moon seeing those tiny beings trail behind you. Ecstatic when he picks one up and the others just jump on top of his body like this is the happiest he is at the moment, nothing can make his day sour now that these little guys are around him.

✧ "Is this the reason why you try not to get sick so often?" Deuce asks, arms cradles full of the tiny snowmen that you conjure up whenever you sneeze and you can only give a defeated nod in return: "They disappear after a while, but if I'm sneezing left and right it's almost an unending snowman army."

✧ Becomes oddly attatched to every tiny snowmen you conjure up. You don't know why, he doesn't know why either. All you two know is that whenever one poofs away after a while, he gets sad and now you're the one consoling him even when you have a fever.

✧ Sadness is only there for a moment though before he picks himself back up and starts to take care of you: "Sorry, they were just so tiny that I couldn't help it. Come on, let's get you back to your room so you can rest properly."

✧ When he finds out the tiny snowmen try their best to help you too he's just so damn elated. Tries to give them small tasks and just smiles at them fondly when they try their best. You find it nice that Deuce isn't overly worried about you and causing a ruckus to the point you omit the tiny detail that every thing that the tiny snowman deliver to you, arrives freezing cold.

✧ Oh you're cradled up in his arms and off to his room the moment he even sees your red nose and shivering self. No he does not care if it's in the middle of the day and you both have class, you're not taking another step or standing up for another second.

✧ Literally halts in his tracks the moment he sees the first snowman appear when you sneeze. Eyes wide and blinking numerous time as he tries to process what the hell just happened, "I- That, is this normal?" No, Jack. It certainly is not normal.

✧ Vaguely listens to your explanation as he hurries towards the mirror hall and towards Savanaclaw, but every time you sneeze he stops to pick up any stray snowman that doesn't land on either you or him - What if you eventually need them to be absorbed back to get more of your magic back? "That's now how it works," "How would you be 100% sure? You rarely get sick as is."

✧ Keeps a mental note on the amount of snowmen that appears whenever you sneeze and where they scurry off to after they've toppled to the floor while taking care of you.

✧ Besides from the mental counting of snowmen he doesn't really try to touch the little creatures, they're made out of snow after all. Sure they can take quite a long fall to the floor or bounce on the bed whenever you sneeze, but they're so... small? He feels like if he just grabs their body they'll just evaporate from the warmth of his palm alone.

✧ You only laugh at Jack's hesitant face once the snowmen he has tried so hard to avoid touching just start to crowd around him, trying to jump on top of him to climb further up his torso. It's a nice pace of change, seeing your lover who usually runs around from dawn and lifting weights try to be so gentle with magic snowmen.

✧ The first snowman that's summoned from thin air and onto your head is in the middle of potion making class. Epel quite literally shrieks when he notices the snowman roll off your head and topple into the cauldron and drops everything he's currently holding to catch it.

✧ Which was the two beakers with other components for the current potion you were making, the shattering noise immediately alerting Crewel. However before he could even start to reprimand, it only took one mere glance at your wobbling self before he directed his gaze towards Epel who instinctively hid the snowman behind him, "Take them to the infirmary, puppy. They're one minute from falling all over the floor."

✧ And it is with that remark that Epel snaps his head towards you, stepping over and pressing the palm of his hand over your forehead, "Yeah, ya burn' up." he mutters, quickly excusing himself before pulling your weak self out the door. The snowman left behind scurries after the two of you when faced with Crewel who only raised an eyebrow up at it.

✧ He's not having a good time. While he tries his best to drag the barely consicous you to the infirmary, he also have to get a hold on every snowman you summon with each sneeze before they scurry away and wreck havoc. So safe to say, Epel has seen better days.

✧ Has half a mind to gather them and chuck them into a basket and zip it shut and another half to just observe them and see what they do. The former won the moment the two of you entered the infirmary and you let out a number of sneezes, which prompted more snowmen to appear and almost destroy the entire room.

✧ Does feel bad when he comes back to the infirmary after going back to the dorm to grab a few snacks to see a few more snowman appear and just try to pull the string open. Nonetheless, you awaken to Epel peeling off an apple, with a few of the snowmen sitting inside a bowl with a few unpeeled apples, "It took some time, but I eventually figured that they just wanted to help, so now they're just keeping the apples cold for me. Here, have a bite." he ignores the look of utter confusion on your face at the snowman on top of his head.

✧ Utterly appalled. Absolutetly flabbergasted. Disappointed that you, his lover, can not take care of themselves like he can. Barges into your room to see your sniffling self on the bed with a look of utter disappointment.

✧ "And here I thought you were one step above your other brethren the others with you rarely getting sick! And where do I find you right after thinking that? In bed! With a fever! How typical!" He huffs, pulling the sheets away from you despite your weak protests. He is utterly shocked the moment he sees the amount of snowmen jump away from your bed and out through your bedroom door the moment he pulled the sheets away from you, staring at the small creatures scurrying down the hallway of Diasomnia.

✧ "And to make matters worse, you hide tiny snowmen in your bed?! I cannot understand how you humans think!" You do not have the energy to correct him. But before you can get up and try to get those snowmen back into your room, Sebek is already pushing you back down to bed with a scoff, "You are not moving a single muscle until I allow it! Now, I know the young master is strong enough to handle some weak human magic, but I still need to ensure his safety, so wait here!"

✧ And he's off to worry about Malleus after lecturing you. After fuzzing about Malleus for a good half hour, the fae dismisses him with the loud thought of: "Wasn't [Name] feeling a bit sick this morning?" to remind your lover about your condition.

✧ Hence he barges back into your room and interrupts your short nap with a tray that's filled with warm tea and some soup. He scowls at the numerous of snowmen that's running around your room, setting the tray down on your bedside table before he gathers them all up and throws them inside a basket you had lying around in displeasure. They've made enough of a ruckus for a day.

✧ "As weak as you humans are, I would've believed you would still be able to take care of yourself sufficiently enough to not get a fever," he huffs, handing you the warm tea for you take a sip of. "I suppose I can give you some credit for trying to not get sick often, because these?" he starts, raising an eyebrow at another sneeze from you, and before the snowman can even topple down onto the bed, he's already grabbing it and throwing it onto the basket with the other snowmen, "Are quite frankly annoying to deal with." he huffs, picking up the spoon and taking the bowl in his hands, "Now hurry up and drink this soup so you can lay down while I prepare some wet towels."

[necroromantics]

hello, this is only a suggestion about something you could write someday only if you like it. I'm really curious about this: imagine toby has a s/o before becoming a proxy, so how would he behave after his disappearance? do you think he would stalk them? maybe he would plan some kind of encounter or get caught stalking them (if so, how it would happen)? idk, i recently found your blog and I just love your Toby and I was wondering what your headcannons could be on this scenario.

🪓 — Ticci Toby + Old Friend

we’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when. but i know we’ll meet again some sunny day.

AN: my bad if this kinda sucks, im not used to writing prompts like this also i wrote this in point form, but if you’d like a oneshot instead let me know 🙏

- i cant imagine toby having the emotional capacity or social skills for a proper relationship prior to becoming a proxy, though i can see him having something of an unspoken mutual love with a childhood friend

- but once he lost lyra, he isolated himself so heavily from everyone and everything, which ended up with him pushing away the only person who treated him like a human being

- a couple of years had passed until he saw them again, and when he did, he couldn’t catch his breath. it happened completely by chance. to be honest, dealing with everything he did, and with the effects of slender sickness, their existence completely slipped his mind until that fateful night.

- it was late, and dark, they were walking home from a particularly rough shift and toby caught a glimpse of them from his spot standing under the flickering streetlight.

- he almost yelled out after them when it processed in his brain where he recognized that face and stride from. once it clicked, toby took a moment before moving from his spot. he needed distance to be able to follow them home without being caught.

- when they approached their dimly lit condo, they fumbled with the key to the front door for a moment. taking the opportunity, toby quietly snuck up behind them and snaked his hands around their waist.

- “found you”

- their first reaction was to spin around and clock him in the face, and of course their fist bounced off like nothing. he didn’t flinch, he even chuckled a bit.

- when they saw his face, they gasped.

- “i thought you died in the fire???”

- “yeaah about that…”

- from that point on, toby would sneak into town just to visit them. he would rarely enter through the front door, he much preferred to enter through the bedroom window his old friend made a note to keep unlocked. it was what he was used to. he was a peculiar boy grown up to be an even more peculiar man.

- but they continued with each other as if there was no time apart. like a missing puzzle piece finally finding its way home. his lost friend would question him, but learned quickly it got absolutely nowhere. asking him was futile. they knew better.

- toby would come to them, they weren’t ever allowed to know where he was, or what he did when he was away.

- they were kept under lock and key. his secret. prized possession.

- on particularly bad days, he would show up to their place and just silently lay in bed with them, allowing his prize to run their fingers through his messy brown hair and let the chaos of the outside, and his job, slip away for a moment.

- the light in his otherwise dark and twisted world. a part of him was so scared of getting them hurt, or even worse hurting them himself.

- but he was still the same unstable, angry boy he always was. and though he tried, he wasn’t cut out for being a good partner to his long lost. there would be fights, threats, hatchet marks on the walls and doors.

- they would learn soon that he wasnt the same boy he was.

- toby could never really shake the feeling that his lover only looked at him with eyes that screamed ‘what have you done?’

- if they ran away, he would kill them. or keep them locked up in an abandoned cabin off somewhere in the forest for the rest of their miserable life.

- and if they chose to stay, they would have to spend all their time and energy being disrespected and drained. there was no fixing things. he wasnt a kid that meant well anymore, he wasnt a victim. whether they knew it or not, he was a cold blooded serial killer.

[almostfoxglove]

hey queen do you have any joel fic recs? can be au or canon long or short im just desperate for some joel fics lol

oh ho HO anon HELLO yes of course I do :,) I'll give you a variety of flavors so you've got some options. thank you so much for the opportunity to gush about some fics I love :,) these are in no particular order and I am 100% gonna miss brilliant ones because I have a terrible memory I'm so sorry

okay, let's start with SERIES!

I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive by Kiwicane on ao3 (ongoing series)

universe: canon universe, jackson!joel

flavor: ANGST holy fuck. also, incredible action sequences? like actually jaw dropping. and some... enemies to lovers? that's all I'll say!!!!

I actually cannot overstate how much this fic has me pinned to the fucking ground literally anytime I get a notification it's updated on ao3 I fucking RUN okay I run. it's so fucking good. THE TWISTS AND TURNS? you're not ready (you are please read it, it deserves so much fucking love)

Futureproof by @luxurychristmaspudding on tumblr (ongoing series)

universe: modern!au, actor!joel

flavor: girldad!famous joel starstruck by badass rockstar reader? yes I'll take 20.

the prologue for this just came out and FUCK I'm hooked. seriously, just buckle in. the vibes are immaculate, the world building's insane, and joel gets BOTH THIS DAUGHTERS??? I could cry.

Maintenance Request by @burntheedges on tumblr & ao3 (series complete)

universe: modern!au, hotconstructionguy!joel

flavor: fluff & FILTH just... trust me on this one. giddy rom-com feelings and absolute filth. but filth with love. AH

I literally rec this fic to anyone who gives me 0.2 seconds to talk about joel listen it's just. chef's kiss. the rom-com of my dreams.

Halcyon by @justagalwhowrites on tumblr & ao3 (ongoing series)

universe: modern!au, girldad!joel

flavor: childhood best-friends to lovers and s l o w b u r n PINING. so much fucking pining (my kryptonite)

this fic actually broke my brain I think. it is at once so sweet and tender and fucking heart wrenching. strap in for a slowburn but WOOF it's so worth it.

take me back to eden by skyspacelunar on ao3 (series complete)

universe: canon universe post-outbreak, smuggler/pre-jackson!joel

flavor: ANGST, enemies to lovers, TEARS

listen. listen. don't let the OC tag spook you away, this is so fucking good. delicious forced proximity, hate sex, then HEART EYES. there's violence, action, spice, LOVE, and goddamn tragedy. do it!

now... ONE SHOTS!

looking for the light by @sixhours on tumblr & ao3

universe: pre-outbreak!, brandnewdad!joel

flavor: angst with a happy ending, tiny baby 23 year old joel being a newly single dad to baby sarah

okay don't let the word count fool you, this one fuckin WRECKED ME (and put me back together? oh my god) my heart. I wanna hug him so fuckin bad. READ IT AND WEEP (but not in a vengeful way, in an angsty way)

until then by @studioghibelli on tumblr

universe: no-outbreak, priest!joel

flavor: ANGST angst angst. if you like fleabag.... wink!

bell wrote this for my angst challenge and it fuckin ruined me. ha ha HA it's so good. holy fuck. get ready for tears

hungry, lonely, violent by @dontloooknow on tumblr & ao3

universe: canon universe post-outbreak, jackson!joel

flavor: angst and fluff and smut. you get it all!

this is a BEEFY one shot (22k hell yeah) that has pretty much all you could ask for from sweet ol jackson!joel. the tenderness in this? off the charts. I do need him! biblically!

this has made me realize I need to read more joel one shots... oof! time to get through my tbr.

aaand I'm guessin since you're sending this you may already know about my joel fics, but just in case, I've got 3 ongoing series (one almost complete!) & 1 one shot

cover me up: jackson!joel (angst and smut and tenderness)

see you at three: no-outbreak au, young!joel (rom-comish, fluff and angst and eventual smut)

lock the gate: bostonqz!joel (angst, bitter allies to lovers, eventual smut)

I also have a bookshelf on my blog with shelves divided by characters, so you can also check out the joel miller shelf there (will include fics on my tbr list as well as ones I've read) this was so much fun. sorry it's long, but I hope you enjoy these!!

xx freya